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Norwegian Cruise Travel Insurance - 2024 Review

Norwegian cruise travel insurance.

Available at Check-Out
Strong Insurance Partner
Good Cancellation Protection
Incredibly Expensive
Totally Inadequate Medical Cover
Very Poor Medical Evacuation Cover

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Norwegian cruise line was founded in 1966 and is the third largest cruise line in the world. Norwegian currently operates 17 ships and has plans to release 6 more soon. For their 17 fleets, Norwegian offers BookSafe Travel Protection.

In our Norwegian Cruise Travel (NCL) Insurance Review, we will run through the different trip insurance options that Norwegian offers and compare them against the wider travel insurance market.

Norwegian Cruise Line Travel Insurance | AARDY.com

First, let’s review the critical reasons to buy cruise travel insurance, to explain the logic behind some of our recommendations.

Norwegian Cruise Travel Insurance on Check-Out

For our review, we have two 62-year-old travelers going on a three-day cruise from Miami to the Bahamas. The total cost for the cruise came in at $1,102.76 for the two passengers.

As we get towards the check-out page, we are encouraged to buy Norwegian Cruise Travel Insurance. The exact image of what was presented is shown below. We are offered not one, but two cruise travel insurance options – ‘Platinum’ and ‘Standard’.

Don’t I Need to Buy Cruise Travel Insurance when I Buy My Cruise?

Every travel insurance policy has some ‘Time-Sensitive Benefits’ that are enabled when a traveler buys trip insurance within a short period of time after their initial trip deposit. This Time-Sensitive Period is normally 10-21 days. Generally, you have a couple of weeks to check out different trip insurance options. Get quotes from a few different travel insurance carriers to compare prices and benefits.

The main reason we want to get our cruise travel insurance in place sooner rather than later is that we get cancellation benefits once our travel insurance policy is in place.

Cruise Travel Insurance – Three Critical Benefits

Irrespective whether you buy Norwegian Cruise Travel Insurance, or buy a different travel insurance, there are three critical benefits that you really need to have in place.

Cruise Cancellation Protection

Travel Medical Health Insurance

Medical Evacuation Coverage

Norwegian Cruise Cancellation Insurance Protection

Every comprehensive trip insurance policy has cancellation benefits built in. When we refer to ‘Cruise’ travel insurance, we really do mean regular, comprehensive travel insurance. Every major travel insurance carrier has comprehensive trip insurance policies that will support you if you are traveling on a cruise ship, by rail, or by aircraft. It doesn’t matter to the travel insurance carrier what type of vacation you are enjoying. So don’t get caught up in buying a travel insurance policy with ‘Cruise’ in the title.

Norwegian Cruise Travel Insurance is referred to by Norwegian as ‘Booksafe Travel Protection’, so even Norwegian does not worry about including ‘Cruise’ in the title of their coverage. Every trip and cruise insurance policy will have basic cancellation protection that should offer a 100% refund for the following types of events:

Accident, illness, or death of you, a traveling partner, business partner, or family member • Jury duty • Legal appearance • Traffic accident en route to airport • Death or hospitalization of your host at your travel destination • Weather • Bankruptcy of your travel provider

On a cruise, death or hospitalization of a host at destination is not relevant. But bankruptcy of your travel provider is important. Norwegian’s does NOT include bankruptcy protection, so please be careful on this.

These events happen rarely, which is why travel insurance policies include basic trip cancellation coverage for little cost. Many of us, however, will want additional travel cancellation protection.

NCL Cancellation Protection – Work

Norwegian Cruise Travel Insurance does a good job in offering us a 100% refund if we are terminated or laid off from full-time employment by our company. This assumes that the reason for the lay-off is no fault of our own. This is good coverage from Norwegian – only one year of continuous employment is required. Most airline policies, for example, require three years of continuous employment, so Norwegian does a good job in this respect.

However, what is missing with Norwegian’s policy is protection if our work vacation is cancelled. Norwegian Cruise Travel Insurance offers no vacation cancellation protection, and we consider this as a significant weakness for anyone who requires approval to go on vacation. Strong Cancel for Work Reasons Travel Insurance would incorporate this coverage. Norwegian Travel Insurance does not, so please beware.

There is one higher level of cancellation protection than Cancel for Work – it is called Cancel for Any Reason Travel Insurance.

Norwegian Cruise Cancellation Protection – Cancel for Any Reason

If you buy Norwegian Cruise Travel Insurance, you will get Norwegian's version of Cancel for Any Reason protection built in. It is not, strictly, insurance, as you will not get your money back if you cancel. You will get a credit to be used for future cruises, which is a pretty good substitute.

Norwegian Cruise Travel Insurance offers two alternatives – Platinum or Standard. Standard will provide a credit of 75% of your funds if you cancel your cruise with Norwegian. You can then use these funds for a future cruise. Platinum offers a 90% credit. The coverage is expensive, but travelers may well benefit from it. A sensible alternative to Norwegian’s Cancel for Any Reason coverage would be the Cancel for Any Reason protection that is embedded into many Comprehensive Travel Insurance policies. We will show a few alternatives later in this article.

Travel Medical Health Insurance is one of the most critical pieces of trip insurance that any traveler can have. It is essential, in our opinion. International private hospitals are not cheap and can often cost $3k to $4k per day. For this reason, we recommend that a traveler leaving the USA have at least $100k of Travel Medical Health Insurance in place.

Decent medical coverage is not expensive! Indeed, you will see this $100k figure in almost every comprehensive travel insurance available in the wider US market. The only time we are comfortable with less than $100k of travel medical insurance coverage is if the traveler has alternative insurance in place that the travel insurance can supplement. If you have any doubt - stick to $100k of Travel Medical Insurance coverage in any Travel Insurance, you buy.

Let’s look at all the coverage levels from Norwegian Cruise Travel Insurance. The price we see below is that quoted to us for our $1,102.76 cruise.

Norwegian Cruise Insurance Coverage - Platinum

$250 / Stateroom

Trip cancellation or interruption for a covered reason - Total NCL vacation cost
Trip Delay - $500
Emergency Evacuation - $50,000
Accidental Medical Expense - $20,000
Sickness Medical Expense - $20,000
Baggage / Personal Effects - $3,000
Enhanced Cancellation Protection provided by NCL - 90% cruise credit

Norwegian Cruise Insurance Coverage - Standard

$130 / Stateroom

Emergency Evacuation - $25,000
Baggage / Personal Effects - $1,500
Enhanced Cancellation Protection provided by NCL - 75% cruise credit

The Norwegian Standard plan offers $20k in medical insurance. Norwegian Platinum Cruise coverage offers the same benefit, which is inadequate for an unforeseen medical emergency.

Cruise Insurance 101 Travel Insurance Marketplace

It’s relatively simple to get alternative travel insurance options for your Norwegian Cruise. In fact, we need only one minute of your time. At Cruise Insurance 101 , give us your travel details, and we share them anonymously with our Travel Insurance Carriers. You get a series of quotes, showing you rates and coverage levels, from some of the most respected Travel Insurance Carriers in the USA. We only work with carriers who have ‘A’ ratings from A.M. Best, and customer service levels that we are happy to recommend.

AIG Travel Guard Plus Insurance

One of our favorite low-cost travel insurance policies is the AIG Travel Guard Plus plan. Here are the protection levels incorporated into the policy.

Time-Sensitive Benefits • Cancel for Any Reason: 0% refund • Cancel for Work Reason: 100% refund • Preexisting Waiver: Yes • Time Sensitive Period: 21 days • Free Look Period: 15 days • Preexisting Look Back: 180 days Regular Benefits • Medical Coverage: Primary • Hospital of Choice: No • Covered Cancellation: 100% refund • Financial Default: Yes • Medical Sickness: $100,000 • Medical Evacuation: $1,000,000.

This travel insurance from AIG comes in at $78.44 for our two travelers. Yet, it has $100k of Travel Medical Health Insurance embedded into it. Let’s look now at our final piece of critical coverage – medical evacuation insurance.

Travel Medical Evacuation Insurance

Sometimes an accident or illness is so severe that a medical evacuation is necessary. We want to get the patient to the most suitable medical facility to treat them, and oftentimes this is not going to be in a small port city of an underdeveloped country. A medical evacuation can involve specially equipped private jets with associated doctors and nurses on board. A near-shore evacuation can cost $100k - $250k. An evacuation from Asia or Africa can easily cost $500k. These are the minimum levels of coverage that we ever recommend to a traveler. There is simply no logical reason in taking less protection than this.

Norwegian Medical Evacuation Coverage

So, what Travel Medical Evacuation coverage does Norwegian provide in its two policies?

Standard - $25k
Platinum - $50k

What level of medical evacuation coverage do we see in a low-cost travel insurance?

AIG Travel Guard Plus - $1,000,000

Again, this is a massive increase in protection from what is one of our cheapest policies. The Norwegian Cruise Insurance is totally inadequate in this regard.

Cancel for Work and Cancel for Any Reason

Where the AIG Travel Guard Policy also rates well is that it offers work vacation cancellation protection. If your previously approved vacation is cancelled, AIG will provide a 100% refund of your non-refundable costs. From such a low-cost travel insurance policy, that is a great benefit. Remember, Norwegian Cruise Travel Insurance does not provide this protection.

If you would like a policy with the optional benefit of Cancel for Any Reason trip cancellation protection, the Travel Insured WorldWide Trip Protector Plan is a great option.

It incorporates true Cancel for Any Reason protection. We say ‘true’ coverage, because if you need to cancel for any reason not normally covered by your other policy benefits, the insurer will write you a check for 75% of your trip costs. Cash is better than credit.

Here are the policy benefits:

Time-Sensitive Benefits

Cancel for Any Reason: 75% refund
Cancel for Work Reason: 100% refund
Pre-Existing Waiver: Yes
Time Sensitive Period: 21 days
Free Look Period: 14 days
Pre-Existing Look Back: 60 days

Regular Benefits

Medical Coverage: Primary
Hospital of Choice: Yes
Covered Cancellation: 100% refund
Financial Default: Yes
Medical Sickness: $100,000
Medical Evacuation: $1,000,000

Evacuation benefits are 50 times as much as Norwegian Cruise coverage. Medical coverage is five times as much. Travel Insured’s Medical coverage is Primary; Norwegian’s is Secondary. All this coverage costs 14% LESS than Norwegian’s Platinum coverage!

Norwegian Cruise Travel Insurance Review – Conclusion

Norwegian offers two policies that are expensive, with little in the way of critical protection for some of the most expensive risks. We consider the policies that Norwegian offers to be unsuitable for almost all travelers. There are many other options available to cruise customers by searching within the wider travel insurance market. We rate Norwegian Cruise Line insurance a 7 out of 10.

Cruise Travel Insurance in the USA

The US has one of the most significant travel insurance markets on earth. At Cruise Insurance 101 we take the leading Trip Insurance Carriers and place them in our marketplace. We offer you at least a dozen alternative policies from these leading insurers. The rates we show are the same as if you had gone direct to every travel insurer yourself. We do not mark up prices. In fact, US anti-discrimination law prevents such practices . As such, we can guarantee that you cannot buy the same policy at a lower rate.

Have questions? Chat with us online, send us an email at [email protected] or alternatively call us at +1(786) 751-2984 . We would love to hear from you.

Safe Travels

This article has been written for review purposes only and does not suggest sponsorship or endorsement of AARDY by the trademark owner.

Recent AARDY Travel Insurance Customer Reviews

Perfect plan to fit a seniors budget

Perfect plan to fit a seniors budget, with adequate coverage,with great customer service.

Kelly Bowen

Melonie was so helpful and explained everything. This was so easy and I had been putting off getting cruise insurance from the fear that I would be on the phone for hours. Not the case.

Very efficient communication

Very efficient communication. Willing to accommodate my needs with a large group traveling together.

Cruise travel insurance: What it covers and why you need it

What does cruise travel insurance cover? And does it pay to buy cruise travel insurance?

The answer is not always clear-cut, as we'll discuss in this guide. But consider this: It's not always smooth seas when it comes to cruising. Even the best-laid plans for a cruise vacation can sometimes be thrown off course by an unexpected event.

You might need to cancel a cruise in advance due to the sudden onset of an illness, such as COVID-19 or the flu. Or, maybe you fall ill during the cruise and need emergency medical attention. Maybe your flight to your ship gets canceled, and you miss the vessel's departure. Or your ship is late arriving in port at the end of a voyage, and you miss your flight home.

In all of these situations, you might benefit from having cruise travel insurance — keyword "might."

Cruise insurance policies vary widely, and not every policy covers every type of mishap. That's why it always pays to read the fine print in a travel insurance policy before you purchase it to know what you're getting in advance.

It's also why you should read this introduction to everything you need to know about cruise insurance. It has many details, but the next time something unexpected happens on your cruise vacation, you'll be glad to be educated and covered by a comprehensive travel insurance policy.

What does travel insurance cover when you cruise?

The typical cruise insurance policy covers a wide range of circumstances that can go wrong in conjunction with a vacation at sea — both before and during the sailing.

For starters, policies often will reimburse you for the cost of canceling a cruise due to a last-minute crisis. They will also often cover costs related to an interruption of a cruise (maybe your ship breaks down, requiring you to fly home mid-voyage ). These two elements are known as trip-cancellation and trip-interruption insurance, and they are bundled into a typical travel insurance policy.

Some policies will also cover out-of-pocket costs related to a flight delay or cancellation that results in you missing your cruise departure (for instance, the cost of catching up to the ship at its next port). Expenses related to baggage delays and loss are often covered as well.

But perhaps most importantly, many travel insurance policies will cover medical expenses you incur while on a cruise. Some will even cover the cost of evacuating from a foreign destination if you are in the midst of a medical crisis.

Travel insurance giant Allianz Global Assistance reports that 53% of all cruise-related "billing reasons" for claims are because of illness for the insured person, while 14% are for an injury. Another 8% are for the illness of a family member, 4% for the death of a family member and 4% for the illness of a traveling companion, among other reasons.

Those percentages include illness and accidents that happen to cruisers just before a trip, making travel impossible. But, in many cases, such claims result from illness and injuries that occur during voyages.

"People often take risks during vacation that they might not take back home, whether riding a jet ski, zipping around on a motorized scooter in a city they don't know well or hiking unfamiliar terrain," James Page, senior vice president and chief administration officer of AIG Travel, told TPG .

Some policies also cover the financial default of a travel provider. In such cases, if your cruise line goes out of business before you sail, you could get all — or at least some — of your money back.

Cruise travel insurance policies don't cover everything. For instance, standard travel insurers generally will not reimburse you for the cost of a cruise you cancel due to worries about an outbreak of an illness. That's true even if a U.S. government agency such as the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issues a recommendation that you don't cruise due to an illness outbreak, as it did during the COVID-19 pandemic .

If you want the ultimate flexibility to cancel for such a reason or any other, you'll want to look into a more expensive cancel for any reason travel insurance upgrade.

Related: Avoiding outbreaks isn't covered by most travel insurance policies

Where to find a cruise travel insurance policy

You can buy a travel insurance policy directly from your cruise line when booking your trip or through your travel agent (if you're using one, which often is a good idea when booking a cruise). You also can go directly to a third-party travel insurance provider or a travel-insurance aggregator site, such as InsureMyTrip or TravelInsurance . Your credit card might even give you some travel protections.

Here's what you need to know about each type of cruise travel insurance.

Third-party insurance companies

Third-party insurance companies that specialize in writing travel insurance include AIG Travel, Allianz Travel Insurance, Travelex Insurance and American Express Travel Insurance.

One reason to use a travel agent or a travel aggregator: They can help you find a policy that offers added coverage specific to cruising.

Related: The Points Guy's guide to the best travel insurance companies

"Many plans now offer benefits that will specifically appeal to cruise travelers, such as missed connection, missed port-of-call and cruise disablement coverage," Stan Sandberg, cofounder of TravelInsurance.com, said.

Missed connection coverage reimburses cruisers for a set dollar amount if they need to rebook travel to catch up with their cruise at the next port. Missed port-of-call coverage pays a benefit if the cruise ship misses a scheduled port of call due to weather, a natural disaster or a mechanical breakdown.

Cruise disablement coverage pays a benefit if the traveler is confined on a ship for more than five hours without power, food, water or restrooms.

As noted, policies vary widely. It's a good idea to compare plans and make sure the one you buy has the elements that are most important to you. One size doesn't fit all.

Credit cards with travel benefits

Some premium credit cards offer valuable travel protections comparable to what you might get from a standard travel insurance plan. For example, the travel insurance provided when you pay for travel with select cards can reimburse you for expenses if your baggage is damaged, you're stranded overnight due to a flight delay or cancellation, or you have to return home to handle a family medical emergency.

The Chase Sapphire Reserve card, for example, offers trip delay reimbursement, trip cancellation and interruption insurance, emergency medical coverage and even medical evacuation coverage , among other benefits. And yes, cruise lines are considered common carriers just like airlines.

If you're planning to rely on a card like the Chase Sapphire Reserve or The Platinum Card® from American Express * (among others) for travel insurance, just be sure to recheck your card's benefits and limits carefully against regular travel insurance. You must pay for at least part — and sometimes all — of the trip with that credit card to take advantage of its protections.

*Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. Policies are underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.

Related: The best credit cards for booking cruises

Find out if your credit card protection includes travel accident insurance or covers preexisting medical conditions, and figure out when it will pay you back. Other questions to ask: What are the coverage limits? Will you have to pay for a foreign hospital bill upfront and then seek reimbursement later?

Cruise lines

Cruise lines often ask consumers booking a cruise to buy the line's own protection at the time of purchase. If specifics about the coverage are lacking, always ask the line for details in advance, review coverage perks and limits; then, compare those to one or two independent travel insurance policies or your credit card's insurance benefits.

Related: A beginners guide to picking a cruise line

Cruise line travel insurance policies sometimes have quirks. Many cruise companies will only offer a travel voucher or credit for future use in the event of a covered cancellation, not an outright refund.

Also, financial default may not be a covered event in a cruise line-sold policy, but it's typically covered with plans from third-party travel insurance companies.

Cruise line policies also can be more restrictive.

"Cruise line insurance seems to have become better and has more widespread coverage than in the past, but it typically won't cover air or pre- and post-travel [arrangements] unless those elements are purchased through [the line]," said Debra Kerper, a Cruise Planners travel adviser from Carrollton, Texas, who books travel and sells private insurance. "This is when private insurance coverage becomes so very important."

How much does cruise insurance cost?

Expect to pay anywhere from 4% to 8% of your total prepaid, nonrefundable trip expenses for a travel insurance policy. That's a wide range, we know, but it reflects the wide range of products out there.

You'll also find some basic plans that cost even less than 4% of your trip expenses, while some super-premium plans that cover just about any conceivable issue can cost as much as 12% of your trip expenses.

Related: What's included in your cruise fare?

All reputable insurance companies will offer a "free-look period" during which you can receive a 100% refund on your premium. This allows you to review the policy you've selected and return it for any reason within the period allotted — usually for a small administration fee of less than $10.

Under normal circumstances, you don't need to purchase a so-called "cancel for any reason" add-on to your cruise travel insurance policy unless you really need the flexibility. The upgrades are significantly more expensive.

You can receive a quote and purchase a policy online in minutes with any credit card. Although you may think travel insurance should code as "travel" when paid on a credit card and thus be eligible for bonus points on certain cards, that isn't always the case. Your points earnings will depend on the individual underwriter's merchant code. When in doubt, expect the purchase to fall under the insurance category for earnings.

Should I buy travel insurance for a cruise?

Whether you buy travel insurance is a personal decision that will depend on many factors. Would you be willing to absorb the loss of canceling a cruise on short notice due to an illness or accident? Could you afford an evacuation flight from a far-off port if you suddenly became seriously ill? Only you can answer those sorts of questions.

Here are some things to consider as you make that decision.

You might not be covered by regular medical insurance while cruising

If you're a U.S. citizen traveling internationally (which will be the case for most cruises), you may find that most private medical insurance plans in the U.S. won't cover you.

Additionally, Original Medicare only covers people traveling outside U.S. borders in limited circumstances.

While certain Medicare Supplement Plans do have some foreign emergency medical benefits, not all do. Be sure to talk to your Medical Supplemental Plan provider to see if you're covered, what's covered, what the limits are and how the bill is paid.

Also note that, in some countries (particularly those in Central and South America), travelers may not be discharged from a hospital until their bill is paid in full.

Related: Trip wrecked: 7 ways to prepare for any kind of travel disaster

Plus, if you have a medical incident overseas, you could find yourself stuck in a shared hospital room without air conditioning or a private bathroom. The level of care may not be what you expect.

"For people traveling internationally, it's crucial to know beforehand where to go for any treatment … and how they're going to pay for that treatment," Page said.

Getting evacuated for a medical condition is expensive

Most airlines won't accept seriously ill passengers, those carrying bulky medical equipment or those requiring a full medical team.

Even a low-cost weekend getaway on a cruise to the Bahamas out of Miami can turn costly if you suffer a serious accident or illness requiring medical treatment or an emergency medical evacuation.

Related: Do cruise ships have doctors, nurses, medical centers or hospitals?

Being flown back to the U.S. from a far-flung overseas location in a private, medically equipped aircraft, with a professional medical team on board, can run between $70,000 and $180,000, according to Mike Hallman, president and CEO of Medjet, a medical transport membership company.

"Domestic transports, which we cover as well, can cost upwards of $30,000," Hallman said.

Without proof of medical evacuation coverage, foreign providers will also want that money upfront. Hallman said that regular travel insurance will typically get you to an acceptable overseas hospital and even to a higher-level care facility if "medically necessary." Alternatively, medical evacuation coverage means you can fly home to your own hospital, doctors and family — without claim forms, cost caps on transports or surprise bills.

The tandem approach — buying both travel insurance and a separate medevac transport membership — is a good option, Hallman said.

"We always recommend travel insurance, as it covers trip interruption, which is important, as well as medical coverage for the hospital and treatment costs," he said. "We pick up where they leave off."

You can't predict the weather

Cruising is a great way to explore multiple destinations in one trip. But it's good to remember that unexpected delays, interruptions or cancellations due to weather can happen during cruises, particularly during hurricane seasons in places such as the Caribbean and Asia (where hurricanes are called typhoons).

During a typical hurricane season (June 1 to Nov. 30), Allianz pays about 6,000 claims from customers whose travel plans in the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico and southeastern U.S. are affected by the storms, according to a spokesperson for Allianz Global Assistance USA.

If you're hoping to insure against a storm-related disaster, it's good to buy travel insurance as early as possible. Once a storm or hurricane is named, it's too late to buy travel insurance to cover it.

Of course, cruise lines will move ships away from a weather threat. When the port lineup is adjusted or the cruise shortened, the company will offer the guest an onboard credit, onboard gift or future cruise credit rather than any refund. It depends on the circumstances of that specific voyage. You won't be able to make a claim on your cruise travel insurance policy just for a minor itinerary change .

Related: Everything you need to know about cruising during hurricane season

Costs can mount quickly when things go wrong

Even if the cruise line does provide a full or partial refund or cruise credit for an itinerary change or some other interruption, travelers could have to swallow the cost of other travel elements not purchased through the line. That could include nonrefundable flights , prepaid resort or hotel nights, nonrefundable tour fees and more.

Travel insurance can cover those, plus help with flight delays or cancellations, baggage loss or theft.

If a winter storm causes you to miss your flight to where the ship is boarding , "travel insurance could help you get to the next port to join the cruise, so you don't miss your entire trip," Page said.

In fact, 13% of "billing reasons" for claims to Allianz are for common carrier delays (such as a flight delay), while weather and natural disaster-related claims account for about 3%.

The government probably won't bail you out

While cruise ships have medical facilities, they're usually not equipped to treat serious illnesses. If you experience a serious medical problem on a vessel, you may have to get off the ship in a foreign port to seek treatment at a hospital. In such a case, if you don't have medical evacuation insurance, you may then find yourself stranded in that port awaiting a medical evacuation.

Don't expect Uncle Sam to step in and help foot the bill.

The U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Consular Affairs clearly states the importance of buying travel insurance.

"The U.S. government does not provide medical insurance for U.S. citizens overseas," the bureau says on the website. "We do not pay medical bills. You should purchase insurance before you travel."

You may need more assistance than you think

If you're injured or become severely ill during a cruise, especially in a foreign country, it may be difficult to access help without the assistance of trained professionals that comes with many insurance plans.

Many travel insurance companies provide around-the-clock assistance with locating overseas clinics and pharmacies, getting to a doctor or hospital, refilling lost or depleted prescriptions, assisting with up-front payments to hospitals, and arranging flight changes so you can get home.

Travel insurance companies also can arrange for an air ambulance, a nurse escort, oxygen and a lie-flat seat on a flight home if your medical condition warrants it.

You want to be careful if you have preexisting conditions

When you cruise, it's important to be fully covered, which means having comprehensive medical coverage that includes any preexisting conditions. Otherwise, if you head into a doctor's office overseas, have any tests completed, or visit an urgent care center or emergency room, you might not be covered.

Here, timing is extremely important. Cruisers seeking coverage of preexisting conditions, as well as cancel for any reason insurance, generally must book within seven to 21 days of the first payment they make for a trip. The timing varies by insurer.

Bottom line

Cruise insurance isn't for every traveler — or even for every sailing. It's not inexpensive. However, it can bring a lot of peace of mind if you're about to head out to sea. Do your homework, compare plans and always assess the risks.

Planning a cruise? Start with these stories:

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Should I Buy Cruise Insurance? Complete Guide to Coverage

A step-by-step guide to cruise insurance, what it covers, and if you need it..

Note: Cruzely.com nor the author is an insurance professional. Be sure to review any policy and ask your insurance company any questions you might have.

We are an affiliate of InsureMyTrip, linked below. We receive a small commission if you buy travel insurance through the links included in this article, at no cost to you.

Most people don’t like to think about the bad things that can happen when you are on vacation. But the truth is that accidents, cancellations, theft and other mishaps can occur, even while you’re on your dream trip. For example:

You get sick after eating the local food, leading to two days in the hospital.
You get pickpocketed in a crowded market, and the thief takes your passport.
You miss a connecting flight, meaning you have to unexpectedly pay full price for a hotel room until you can reach your destination.

The list is endless of what could happen. But they all share one major theme. They can ruin your vacation and potentially cost you hundreds — if not thousands — of dollars. These mishaps can be compounded when you are on a cruise. With a cruise ship’s tight schedule, any delays could cause you to miss the boat. Of course, that means having to purchase lodging, transportation, meals, and more while you try to make arrangements to get back home.

Worst yet, medical emergencies aboard a cruise can rack up serious bills. What happens if a major illness hits while the ship is in the middle of the ocean? While cruise ships do have doctors to administer first aid, the expenses of emergency transport for serious emergencies can be astronomical.

It’s for these reasons that cruise insurance has become a major interest among passengers. To be absolutely clear, the vast majority of cruises go off without a hitch. Still, there is something to be said for having a little peace of mind and not having to worry just in case something does go wrong.

Travel & cruise insurance is made exactly for that purpose. By purchasing this coverage you are covered for a wide range of events (many detailed below) that could otherwise cost you significant money without insurance.

Of course, in exchange for that coverage you have to pay a premium — money out of your pocket for a service that you might not ever use. That leads to a big question: Should you buy cruise insurance? Is it worth it?

To decide if it’s the right choice for you, we’ve researched all the ins and outs of cruise insurance to help you out…

( See how affordable travel insurance can be. Get a free quote from InsureMyTrip. )

What does cruise insurance cover?

Every policy is slightly different; there is no set requirement of what is covered. That’s why its important to review the terms of any plan you purchase. That said, you’ll find most cruise insurance covers the same basic things. Here are the major items that you’ll want to make sure your policy covers.

Trip Cancellation – The most basic coverage with cruise insurance, trip cancellation protection allows you to get your money back that you’ve paid for your trip if you cancel for specific, predetermined reasons . This coverage doesn’t allow you to get repaid if you just decide to cancel because you don’t want to go (though there are policies that can do that).

The specific reasons will be laid out in your policy. In general, they fall into several major groups:

Major illness or injury to you, traveling companion, or family member
Death of you, traveling companion, or family member
Birth of child
Traffic accident
Divorce (from traveling companion)
Being fired/laid off
Travel delays

Trip Interruption – Similar to trip cancellation, this coverage pays you for an interruption for specific reasons like the ones mentioned above after your trip has already started or when travel is delayed. In addition to being reimbursed for the remainder of what you’ve paid for your cruise, you’ll often also be reimbursed for expenses like flight and hotel to get back home.

Emergency Medical – If you’re worried about getting sick or injured while on your cruise, then know that most plans offer emergency medical coverage. This is exactly as it sounds. It provides medical insurance for serious illness or injury. Many plans also offer some dental coverage.

Emergency Evacuation – Nearly every plan will have some sort of emergency evacuation coverage. This is coverage to get the person to the most appropriate medical treatment (often as defined by the insurance company). So if you break your leg while on an excursion in Mexico and have to be transported to a larger city for the correct care, then your expenses are covered. Emergency evacuation coverage also can pay for you to get you home if you are in a medical facility away from home.

Lost/Stolen Luggage – Most of the time lost or stolen luggage isn’t so much about the money as the pain of having to replace everything. Even so, cruise insurance should provide some reimbursement expense for your loss, taking some of the sting out of losing your bags. Understand that most times this coverage has special limits for things like laptops or electronics that may not fully replace the lost item.

Pre-Existing Condition Coverage – Most of us know that insurance is hesitant to cover pre-existing conditions. Travel insurance can offer pre-existing condition coverage in certain circumstances (but not always!), which is especially helpful if believe you’ll need some sort of coverage while in a foreign country for an on-going illness. If this is important to you, make sure you double check the specific policy, which will make it very clear if pre-existing conditions are covered or not.

What doesn’t cruise insurance cover?

Cruise insurance actually covers more things and offers more benefits than just what is listed above. But it doesn’t cover everything and policies are pretty specific about what they will and won’t pay.

The most notable exception is that you can’t just cancel your cruise for any reason and get reimbursed for any money you lose . Instead, the only way the policy will pay is if you cancel for one of the specific reasons cited in your policy for cancelling your cruise. Keep in mind these reasons you are allowed to cancel may be more than what’s listed above.

You also won’t be compensated for inconveniences on your trip. For instance, if your trip doesn’t go as planned, but you don’t suffer an actual loss, then you won’t be able to make a claim. If it pours rain an entire day that you are in port and you can’t even get off the ship, your travel insurance won’t cover the loss of a day of vacation. Weather is not covered unless it causes an actual interruption to the cruise.

Also, it’s important to understand that your benefits are less any refunds you might receive otherwise. So if your cruise is cancelled and the cruise line refunds your fare, you won’t be able to claim the cruise fare as a loss.

Addendums to coverage

Some policies allow you to add coverage to your insurance that allow more flexibility and benefits.

The most popular addendum is known as “Cancel for Any Reason” coverage . This addendum allows you to cancel your trip and receive reimbursement, no matter why.

So if you simply decide that you don’t want to get out of bed the morning of your cruise and call the whole trip off (not sure why you would do such a thing!), then you can cancel and get your money back.

One important thing to note is that these policies rarely give 100% of your entire trip fare back. It usually ranges from 50-75%. Still, considering that you get nothing back if you cancel for a non-covered reason, this additional coverage is often worth the cost.

Many cruise travel insurance policies will also offer an addendum for rental car coverage. Obviously most cruise passengers won’t opt for this coverage since it’s rare to rent a car given that you are in port only for a day at a time.

What about insurance sold by cruise lines?

When buying a cruise, you’ll be offered an option to purchase insurance from the cruise line. This coverage takes on many different names. You might have seen one of the following if you’ve already bought your cruise:

Carnival Vacation Protection
Royal Caribbean Travel Protection
Princess Vacation Protection
Norwegian Cruise Line Booksafe Travel Protection Plan
Celebrity CruiseCare Travel Insurance Program

These plans are quite popular because of their ability to be sold right alongside the cruise, which means they are convenient to buy. However, that doesn’t automatically make them a good purchase.

While convenient, these plans can often offer much lower coverage rates than traditional travel insurance, for a similar price. So while traditional travel insurance might offer $50,000 in medical coverage, a cruise line might only offer $25,000.

The one advantage that cruise line plans have is that they typically offer cancel for any reason coverage included. Royal Caribbean’s plan, for example, will reimburse you 90% of what you’ve paid for your cruise if you cancel for any reason. Just know that the refund is applied as a future cruise credit — not a cash payment as you’d get with the coverage from a traditional travel insurer.

For these reasons, we suggest sticking with traditional travel insurance from a third-party instead of the policies offered by cruise lines. But any coverage is better than no coverage.

What time period does the insurance cover?

While you should check with your specific insurance policy, they usually go into effect at midnight of the day after you purchase them. They then stay in effect until you return home from your trip.

Example: You buy cruise insurance at 6 p.m. on December 1 for a cruise that departs December 20 and returns December 27. Your coverage would be from in effect from midnight on December 2 until you return home from your cruise.

How do I Buy Cruise Insurance?

As mentioned earlier, if you are buying through the cruise line, you can purchase coverage at the same time that purchase your trip. You can also purchase at a later date by visiting the links below.

For third-party travel insurance, you can get a free quote and purchase directly through the provider. We’ve listed the major companies and their websites here:

Generali: https://www.generalitravelinsurance.com/ Travelex Insurance: http://www.travelexinsurance.com/ AXA Travel Insurance: https://www.axatravelinsurance.com/

For most people, however, we suggest looking at a site like InsureMyTrip.com . This site searches many companies at once to find the right insurance for you and your trip and bring you all your choices. Whether you are looking for affordability or the best coverage, all your options are laid out for you.

You can get a free quote here , see how much coverage might cost, and see everything it covers.

When should I buy cruise insurance?

The best time to buy is as soon as you’ve purchased your cruise. This allows you all the cancellation benefits immediately should something come up between the time you purchase and the time you actually travel.

One thing to note is that you can’t purchase after you already have an event that will lead to a loss. For example, say you get hurt in an accident that means you won’t be able to go on your vacation. You can’t purchase insurance and then try to be reimbursed for your trip. This is insurance fraud and the company won’t provide reimbursement.

How much does it cost?

Ah, the most important question. After all, every type of insurance is basically a bet between you and the insurance company whether something will happen on your trip.

Prices will vary based on company, trip length, cost, who is being covered, and the sort of coverage you choose. Most companies also offer different levels of plan that have different limits and thus, higher or lower prices.

As a general rule of thumb, traditional cruise insurance offered by a third-party will run about 5%-7.5% of your trip cost . So for a $5,000 trip, expect to pay around $250-$375 for coverage. That can vary widely, however.

Should I buy cruise insurance?

If you want to have some peace of mind on your trip, then yes. However, the vast majority of cruise passengers will never use their insurance.

The problem is that for issues that do come up, the expenses can be large and unknown. For instance, there is no price list of having to be evacuated medically from a cruise ship. The cruise insurance offers valuable peace of mind.

If you do decide to purchase, we highly suggest that you shop around for prices and also read your plan carefully (comparing two or three of the most well-known providers). And while every cruise line strongly recommends purchasing some sort of insurance for your cruise, we don’t recommend purchasing insurance offered through them, as traditional plans can offer better coverage for a similar price.

Get a free quote at the link below

Again, for cruise travel insurance, we suggest looking at a site like InsureMyTrip.com . This site searches many companies at once to find the right insurance for you and your trip and bring you all your choices. Whether you are looking for affordability or the best coverage, all your options are laid out for you.

Disclaimer: Cruzely.com is an affiliate with the travel insurers mentioned in the article above. We receive a small commission if you get a quote or purchase through the links included in this article at no extra cost to you.

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If a cruise is not leaving Australian waters, a passport is not needed. Will your private health insurance / medicare still be applicable on a domestic cruise?

Not familiar with Australian insurance rules. I’d suggest contacting the cruise line.

I believe Medicare doesn’t cover you overseas. That is why we get it

do you have insurace for canadians travelling on a cruise fro new york to bermuda

Any travel insurer should be able to cover you. You can go to a site like InsureMyTrip.com or AIG Travel Guard to see your options.

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Travel Insurance

An illness, an accident or an unexpected situation can arise before or during any type of vacation. Such an event might cause you to cut short your cruise or cause your trip to be canceled altogether. Unfortunately, most cruise lines impose penalties for canceling a cruise, up to and including loss of the entire cruise price.

Because a cruise is a significant investment, most cruise lines offer some form of insurance to protect their passengers from financial loss in the event of an emergency. Details and prices vary from cruise line to cruise line, as do coverage limits and exclusions.

If you decide to purchase insurance, you will have two options, to go with the cruise line's plan or to use our independent insurance provider, Generali Global Assistance. Use the summaries below to compare policies and prices.

Generali can provide insurance coverage to all customers, regardless of their country of citizenship, except residents of the province of Quebec, Canada.

For more information or a complete copy of a policy, ask your Vacations To Go cruise counselor.

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Table of Contents

What is cruise travel insurance?

What does cruise travel insurance cover typically, how much is travel insurance for a cruise, do i need it if i have other travel protections, is cruise travel insurance worth it.

Cruise travel insurance covers the cruise itself, not related travel.

It's usually purchased through the cruise operator, typically before booking.

Check to make sure your credit card doesn't offer similar insurance before buying cruise insurance.

Cruising is one of America's favorite travel experiences. According to a 2021 report from Cruise Lines International Association, an industry trade association, 82% of cruisers will cruise again. As well, 62% of non-cruisers are open to the idea.

And why not? Cruises often give travelers the chance to experience multiple destinations plus enjoy onboard entertainment, activities and dining for a set, all-inclusive price . Cruises simplify budgeting in a year when travel prices have been hard hit by inflation .

But what happens if something goes wrong with your ship, or you can’t make it onboard because of health concerns? Cruise travel insurance might be the answer. It protects your payment and covers you against illness or injury.

Before you pay for a cruise travel insurance policy, here's a look at what it is, how it works and if it's worth it.

Cruise travel insurance is add-on insurance coverage that — just like travel insurance — will reimburse you for delays, interruptions, medical situations or other problems during the cruise.

Depending on which cruise line you're traveling with, you might be able to buy a travel insurance policy when booking your trip (through the cruise line directly) or at a later date (either through the cruise line or separately from a third party).

Protecting travel costs can be a smart money move. A September 2022 survey of 737 past cruisers by InsureMyTrip found that the average trip cost for an insured cruise vacation so far this year is $6,367, an increase of nearly 15% from before the pandemic.

Can you buy travel insurance after booking a cruise? It depends. Some cruise lines require the purchase of a travel insurance policy before the final payment date when charges become nonrefundable. Others require the purchase of coverage a certain number of days before departure. Read the fine print to find out the deadline to purchase and the specifics of its coverage.

Circumstances covered by cruise travel insurance vary by policy and by issuer. Many cruise lines partner with an insurance company to underwrite its policy benefits.

Some common benefits available as part of travel insurance from a cruise line include:

Trip cancellation and interruption . If you cancel your trip or unexpectedly cut it short for an eligible reason, such as severe weather or illness, you'll get back some or all of the upfront costs, depending on the policy.

Cancel For Any Reason . This coverage tends to be more flexible, forgiving and expensive at time of purchase. Policyholders can cancel for any reason not listed in the policy and still receive a portion of their trip cost back, either as cash or as a future cruise credit (assuming they meet other eligibility requirements).

Trip delay . Cruise delay insurance protection protects expenses if your trip is delayed beyond a set number of hours.

Baggage protection . This insures your luggage if it is lost, stolen, damaged or delayed, and gives money to buy necessary items until bags are recovered.

Medical coverage . If you get sick or injured during the trip, the policy covers treatment and related expenses up to a limit.

Emergency evacuation . When emergency evacuation is necessary, the policy covers the transport cost up to a limit.

COVID coverage . If your trip is canceled or interrupted due to COVID, the policy covers the unused prepaid expenses, medical treatment and emergency evacuation, up to policy limits.

When comparing policies, choose a policy that includes all of the benefits, protections and coverage limits that are important to you. While you may be tempted to choose the lowest-priced option, that policy may not have the coverage you need.

We examined cruise insurance prices for a seven-day trip in February 2023 from the U.S. to Mexico. The example traveler was 35 years old, from Georgia, and planned to spend $2,500 on the trip, including airfare.

The average price of each company’s most basic coverage plan was $124. These policies didn't include optional add-ons, such as Cancel for Any Reason coverage or coverage for pre-existing medical conditions .

Separately, we looked at five different cruise insurance add-ons for a similar trip. With this option, the average cost of basic coverage was cheaper than a standalone policy at $111.20. Keep in mind that cruise insurance policies offered by cruise lines typically cover the cruise portion of the trip only, but do include some Cancel For Any Reason coverage.

If you already have a standalone travel insurance policy or a credit card with travel protections, you may wonder if you need to purchase a cruise travel insurance policy.

Credit card travel insurance

Many travel credit cards include travel protections such as trip cancellation, interruption, delayed or lost luggage reimbursement, and emergency evacuation benefits. Before buying a cruise travel policy, compare the coverage benefits and limits to determine if you already have coverage with a credit card.

One benefit that cruise travel insurance policies offer that credit cards don't is the ability to cancel for any reason. Although you may not get back 100% of the cruise price, these policies allow you to cancel for any reason and get a portion of the price back as a credit toward a future trip. If the policy is priced low enough, it may be worth buying the insurance offered through your cruise line for that benefit alone.

Travel insurance policy

Standalone travel insurance policies can be purchased to cover one person or a family for a specific trip or multiple trips within a period of time. These policies are available at a variety of price points to meet a traveler's budget. When comparing policy options, you can balance price versus coverage options.

If you're traveling multiple times within a short period of time, it may be more economical to buy a more comprehensive travel insurance policy instead of separate policies for each trip.

Cruise travel insurance can be worth it to address your concerns about traveling and protect your investments. These policies offer numerous protections that will cover your expenses in case your trip is canceled, interrupted or delayed, or if you get sick during the trip.

Before buying this coverage, compare your options against your credit card benefits. You might also shop for general travel insurance policies to see if you can get a better deal than what’s offered through your cruise line.

If you’re not covered by your credit card, cruise travel insurance can be worth the added cost. It will give you peace of mind before setting sail, when signing up for that adventurous land excursion and when clicking "Book" for an expensive vacation in the COVID travel landscape.

How to maximize your rewards

You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are our picks for the best travel credit cards of 2024 , including those best for:

Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

No annual fee: Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

Flat-rate travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Luxury perks: The Platinum Card® from American Express

Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

on Chase's website

1x-10x Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.

60,000 Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $900 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

1x-5x 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases.

60,000 Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

Chase Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card

1x-2x Earn 2X points on Southwest® purchases. Earn 2X points on local transit and commuting, including rideshare. Earn 2X points on internet, cable, and phone services, and select streaming. Earn 1X points on all other purchases.

50,000 Earn 50,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

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Norwegian Cruise
Essential Guide to Norwegian Cruise Health Insurance: Benefits and Coverage Explained

Essential Guide to Norwegian Cruise Health Insurance: Benefits and Coverage Explained

Norwegian Cruise Health Insurance is a vital aspect to consider when planning for a cruise vacation. It provides coverage for unexpected medical expenses and ensures peace of mind during your journey. However, understanding the benefits and coverage of this insurance can be complex. That’s why we have put together this Essential Guide to Norwegian Cruise Health Insurance: Benefits and Coverage Explained, to help you navigate through the intricacies of this important aspect of your travel plan.

In this guide, we will break down the essential elements of Norwegian Cruise Health Insurance, providing you with a clear understanding of what it entails and how it can benefit you. From emergency medical coverage to trip cancellation protection, we will explore the comprehensive coverage options available and explain the benefits each one offers. Additionally, we will discuss the pre-existing condition coverage, exclusions, and limitations, ensuring that you have a complete picture of what is included in your policy.

To give you a quick overview of the key points covered in this guide, here is a table summarizing the most important aspects of Norwegian Cruise Health Insurance:

By referring to this guide, you will gain valuable insights into Norwegian Cruise Health Insurance, allowing you to make informed decisions when selecting the right coverage for your needs. Whether you are a first-time cruiser or a seasoned traveler, this guide will serve as a valuable resource to ensure you have the necessary protection for a worry-free cruise experience.

Sources: – [Norwegian Cruise Line Travel Protection](https://www.ncl.com/why-cruise-norwegian/travel-protection) – [Understanding Travel Insurance](https://www.insuremytrip.

Does my health insurance cover me on a cruise ship?

When planning a cruise vacation, it is essential to consider whether your health insurance provides coverage while you are on board. While some health insurance plans may cover emergency medical expenses on a cruise ship, it is crucial to review your policy’s benefits and limitations. The Essential Guide to Norwegian Cruise Health Insurance: Benefits and Coverage Explained provides detailed information on the various factors to consider, such as the type of coverage you have, the geographical limitations, and the potential need for additional travel insurance. Understanding your health insurance coverage beforehand will ensure peace of mind and can help you make informed decisions regarding your health and well-being during your cruise. For more information on this topic, please refer to the Essential Guide to Norwegian Cruise Health Insurance: Benefits and Coverage Explained.

What is covered by cruise insurance?

Cruise insurance offers coverage for a range of situations that can occur during your trip, ensuring peace of mind and financial protection. Norwegian Cruise Health Insurance provides benefits such as emergency medical expenses, medical evacuation, trip cancellation/interruption, and lost baggage. In case of a medical emergency, the insurance covers the costs of hospitalization, doctor visits, and prescription drugs. Additionally, if you need to be transported to a medical facility, the insurance will arrange and cover the expenses of medical evacuation. Trip cancellation or interruption due to unforeseen events, such as illness or severe weather, is also covered, allowing you to recoup your non-refundable expenses. Furthermore, if your baggage is lost, damaged, or stolen, the insurance will provide compensation for your belongings. It is important to carefully review the policy and understand the coverage limits and exclusions before selecting a cruise insurance plan.

Does your insurance work on a cruise ship?

When planning a cruise vacation, it is crucial to consider whether your insurance will cover any potential health emergencies that may occur on board. The Essential Guide to Norwegian Cruise Health Insurance: Benefits and Coverage Explained provides valuable insights into this matter. While some insurance policies may offer limited or no coverage on cruise ships, it is recommended to opt for a comprehensive travel insurance plan specifically designed for cruises. These plans typically include benefits such as emergency medical coverage, evacuation services, trip cancellation/interruption coverage, and baggage loss/delay coverage. It is crucial to review the policy details, limitations, and exclusions before purchasing insurance to ensure it meets your specific needs.

How much does it cost to see a doctor on a cruise ship?

The cost of seeing a doctor on a cruise ship can vary depending on the cruise line and the specific medical services required. Most cruise ships have onboard medical centers staffed by qualified doctors and nurses to attend to passengers’ healthcare needs. These medical centers are equipped to handle minor illnesses and injuries. However, it is important to note that medical services on cruise ships can be expensive, with initial consultations typically ranging from $80 to $150, excluding any additional treatment or medications. It is strongly recommended for cruise passengers to have adequate health insurance coverage that includes medical expenses incurred while on board. This ensures peace of mind and financial protection in the event of a medical emergency at sea. For more information on health insurance options for Norwegian cruise passengers, please refer to the Essential Guide to Norwegian Cruise Health Insurance: Benefits and Coverage Explained.

Is ncl travel protection worth it

When considering a Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) vacation, it is important to evaluate the value of NCL travel protection. This comprehensive insurance plan offers benefits that can provide peace of mind and financial protection in the event of unforeseen circumstances. The coverage includes trip cancellation and interruption, medical expenses, emergency medical evacuation, and baggage protection. With NCL travel protection, travelers can relax and enjoy their cruise knowing they are protected against unexpected events. To learn more about the benefits and coverage of NCL travel protection, visit the official Norwegian Cruise Line website.

In today’s world, health insurance has become an essential part of our lives. Whether we are traveling abroad or simply planning a cruise vacation, it is crucial to understand the benefits and coverage offered by health insurance plans. This is especially true when it comes to Norwegian Cruise Line, one of the most popular cruise lines in the world. In this comprehensive guide, we will delve into the intricacies of Norwegian Cruise health insurance, explaining the benefits and coverage provided by these plans.

First and foremost, it is important to note that health insurance for Norwegian Cruise Line is not mandatory, but it is highly recommended. Accidents and illnesses can happen at any time, and being prepared with the right insurance coverage can provide peace of mind and financial protection. Norwegian Cruise Line offers a variety of insurance plans that cater to different needs and budgets. These plans are designed to cover medical expenses, emergency medical evacuation, trip interruption, trip cancellation, and other unforeseen circumstances that may arise during your cruise vacation.

One of the key benefits of Norwegian Cruise health insurance is the coverage it provides for medical expenses. While onboard medical facilities are available on Norwegian Cruise ships, they are not free of charge. In case of illness or injury, having health insurance can alleviate the burden of hefty medical bills. Norwegian Cruise health insurance plans typically cover doctor visits, hospital stays, prescription medications, and medical treatments. It is important to carefully review the terms and conditions of the insurance plan to understand the limits and exclusions of coverage.

Emergency medical evacuation is another critical aspect of Norwegian Cruise health insurance. In the event of a serious medical emergency that requires immediate medical attention beyond the capabilities of the onboard medical facilities, emergency medical evacuation ensures that you will be transferred to the nearest appropriate medical facility. This can involve helicopter or air ambulance services, which can be extremely expensive without insurance coverage. Norwegian Cruise health insurance plans often include emergency medical evacuation as part of their coverage, providing peace of mind and financial protection in case of a medical emergency.

Trip interruption and trip cancellation coverage are also important components of Norwegian Cruise health insurance. Unexpected events such as illness, injury, or natural disasters can disrupt travel plans and result in financial loss. Trip interruption coverage reimburses you for the unused portion of your trip if you are forced to interrupt your cruise due to covered reasons. Trip cancellation coverage, on the other hand, provides reimbursement for non-refundable trip expenses if you have to cancel your cruise before it even begins. These benefits can save you from significant financial loss and allow you to reschedule or cancel your cruise without worrying about losing your investment.

When considering Norwegian Cruise health insurance, it is essential to read the policy carefully and understand the coverage, limits, and exclusions. Each insurance plan may have different terms and conditions, so it is important to choose a plan that best suits your needs and budget. It is also a good idea to compare different insurance providers and obtain quotes to ensure you are getting the best coverage at a competitive price.

In conclusion, Norwegian Cruise health insurance offers valuable benefits and coverage for travelers embarking on a cruise vacation. From medical expenses to emergency medical evacuation and trip interruption/cancellation coverage, these insurance plans provide financial protection and peace of mind. It is crucial to carefully review the terms and conditions of the insurance plan, compare different providers, and choose a plan that suits your needs and budget. By investing in Norwegian Cruise health insurance, you can enjoy your cruise vacation with the knowledge that you are protected in case of unforeseen circumstances.

Sources: 1. Norwegian Cruise Line – Travel Protection Program: [https://www.ncl.com/freestyle-cruise/travel-protection-program] 2. Cruise Critic – Norwegian Cruise Line Travel Insurance: [https://www.cruisecritic.com/articles.cfm?ID=1562] 3. InsureMyTrip – Norwegian Cruise Line Travel Insurance: [https://www.insuremytrip.com/travel-insurance-plans-coverages/norwegian-cruise-line/] 4. TripSavvy – Norwegian Cruise Lines Travel Insurance: [https://www.tripsavvy.

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What does cruise travel insurance cover?

Cruise insurance coverage can be customized, but some add-ons can dramatically increase the cost..

Going on a cruise can cost you a pretty penny, so it makes sense to consider cruise insurance to protect your finances if something goes wrong. When you're shopping for a cruise or travel insurance plan , it's important to understand what types of coverage are available and what is covered by different plans. This can help you find the perfect balance between getting the coverage you need and keeping the price of cruise insurance as low as possible.

Here's what you need to know about what cruise insurance covers, how it works and when your travel credit card insurance applies to going on a cruise.

Cruise insurance guide

What is cruise insurance, what does cruise insurance cover, should you buy insurance for a cruise, does credit card travel insurance cover cruising, bottom line.

Cruise insurance is a specific type of travel insurance you can buy to help cover the costs of expenses caused by covered events, such as trip cancellations, delays or medical emergencies. Many general travel insurance policies also cover cruises.

The cost of a cruise insurance plan depends on the types of coverage and coverage limits that are included. For example, some plans offer cancel-for-any-reason coverage (CFAR) , which is an additional cost but allows you to cancel your trip for any reason and be reimbursed a percentage of the cost. If you prefer to have the flexibility of CFAR coverage, AIG's Travel Guard Preferred plan is CNBC Select's best cruise insurance plan for CFAR coverage. This option provides coverage up to 48 hours before your originally scheduled departure.

Travel Guard® Travel Insurance

The best way to estimate your costs is to request a quote

Policy highlights

Travel Guard offers a variety of plans to suit travel ranging from road trips to long cruises. For air travelers, Travel Guard can help assist with tracking baggage or covering lost or delayed baggage.

24/7 assistance available

You can usually purchase cruise insurance directly from the cruise line when you book your trip. Alternatively, you can purchase it separately from a third party. In any case, it's always important to shop around to compare not only prices but also what's covered.

Cruise insurance plans offer a range of coverage options, including:

Trip interruptions or cancellations
Trip delays
Delayed or lost baggage
Travel to and from the cruise
Pre-existing conditions
Medical evacuation
Emergency medical care
Missed connections
Job loss cancellation

There are stipulations, coverage limits and deductibles that can apply. For example, if a pre-existing conditions waiver is offered, you'll typically need to purchase it shortly after booking your cruise and paying for the initial deposit(usually within 2-3 weeks).

Insurance plans have exceptions where the coverage won't apply. If you're injured while intoxicated, don't expect your travel insurance to cover your medical expenses or missed travel. Certain high-risk activities may also be specifically excluded from a cruise insurance plan, such as scuba diving or jet skiing. If you plan on participating in an excursion that isn't normally covered, you'll want to take a look at the World Nomads Explorer Plan , which has a list of hundreds of sports and adventure activities that are covered by the plan.

World Nomads Travel Insurance

World Nomads offers travel insurance for all sorts of travelers, from families to solo adventure travelers. Policies are underwritten by Nationwide and offer strong coverage of emergency accident and illness situations, as well as emergency evacuation scenarios.

Cruise insurance normally costs 3% to 8% of the cost of the cruise, but can be higher if you opt for expensive add-ons, such as CFAR coverage. It's important to shop around to ensure you're getting the coverage you need, the right coverage limits for your trip and the best price. Before you purchase a separate cruise insurance plan, make sure your trip isn't already covered by your credit card or any other travel insurance you may have.

Credit card travel insurance usually covers cruise trips and the travel you book to and from your port of call. For your credit card coverage to apply, you'll need to pay for the trip with an eligible card.

Before you whip out your card and use it to book your trip, double-check that it includes travel insurance and be aware that the level of coverage you get with a credit card won't be as robust as what you can get with a dedicated travel or cruise insurance plan.

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Cruise insurance can be a relatively inexpensive investment to protect a costly vacation. Depending on the plan, it covers delays, cancellations, emergency medical and more while you're on a cruise or traveling to and from your cruise. Some cruise insurance plans even offer cancel-for-any-reason coverage, which provides the ultimate flexibility when your plans change. With so many options available, it's important to understand what is and isn't covered by each specific cruise insurance policy.

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Help! I Missed a Cruise and the Cruise Line’s Own Travel Insurance Won’t Pay.

A young woman booked her first big trip, a Mediterranean cruise on Norwegian, but missed the boat when her flight was delayed. Since she bought the cruise line’s own travel protection plan, why is she stuck with the bill?

An illustration of a large cruise ship on a blue background while a passenger jetliner flies diagonally in the foreground, its emissions a dark red slash.

By Seth Kugel

Dear Tripped Up,

After graduating from college in 2022 and working for a year, I used my bonus and some of my savings to book a nine-day Mediterranean cruise on Norwegian Cruise Line for my partner and me. Our $7,657 cruise package included airfare from Atlanta to Barcelona, Spain, via Newark, and Norwegian’s own BookSafe Travel Protection Plan , which included travel insurance and also allowed me to “cancel for any reason” for a 75 percent credit. Weather delayed our first flight, we missed the connection, and United Airlines could not get us to Barcelona in time to embark. I called Norwegian and agents suggested I buy last-minute tickets on a different airline, but I don’t have that kind of money. And even if I did, there were no direct flights to later ports, and I was unwilling to risk missing another connecting flight. So we spent the night in the Newark airport, paid for a return flight to Atlanta the next morning and canceled the cruise and remaining air legs. I got $1,184 back right away from Norwegian, and then an additional $232 back (for my return flight) from travel insurance when I filed a trip delay claim, but a trip cancellation claim for the cruise was denied outright. I feel I should at least get the 75 percent credit — otherwise what was the protection plan for? Can you help? Ivy, Atlanta

You’re not the first traveler to write Tripped Up after missing a cruise because of flight delays on the very itinerary the cruise company booked for them.

You also went out of your way to solve this problem on your own, first, registering complaints with the Better Business Bureau, the Georgia attorney general, and the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services in Florida (where Norwegian is based), all to no avail. Even when I offered to help, you didn’t stop and — before I could do anything — prodded Norwegian into giving you a slightly-more-than-75-percent credit, or $5,420, for a future cruise “as a gesture of good will.” Impressive.

I would have moved on to help another Tripped Up reader, but Norwegian’s use of the responsibility-shirking phrase “as a gesture of good will” bugged me. I wanted to know why BookSafe didn’t cover you, and what other cruise customers can do to protect themselves.

The BookSafe plan actually has two main parts: a travel insurance policy, administered by Aon Affinity and underwritten by Nationwide, and a “cancel for any reason credit feature,” provided by Norwegian itself.

I read through the fine print, and it turns out (and Aon confirms) the travel insurance portion does not provide reimbursement for a cruise if airline issues cause a traveler to miss it. But under the Cancel for Any Reason component, it looks to me as if Norwegian should have given you that credit with no hassle.

I tried to confirm that with Norwegian, but the company declined to answer most of my questions, instead responding with imprecise statements via email.

“Although Norwegian Cruise Line provides flight arrangements as part of its cruise offering,” the first email read, “we do not have control over the operations of the airlines and are not responsible for any flight modifications or cancellations.”

“It is because of the very nature of unexpected situations, such as this, that we strongly recommend all guests purchase travel insurance,” the statement continued.

But again, you purchased the travel protection plan and the insurance portion did not cover you. As for the Cancel for Any Reason credit component, Norwegian sent another email, which you forwarded, that read, “We are unable to issue credits for the penalties assessed to your reservation as this does not qualify under Cancel for Any Reason prior to departure.”

When you complained to the Better Business Bureau initially, Norwegian doubled down, giving it same wording.

I can’t understand why. For the credit to kick in, BookSafe clearly states you need only cancel “prior to the ship’s departure,” not prior to your flight’s departure. You forwarded me a cancellation document, dated the day you flew back to Atlanta — which was also the day the cruise set sail. That would seem to qualify, unless Norwegian determined the cancellation took place minutes or hours after the ship departed. That would be pretty disingenuous of them, considering you had been on the phone with them since the night before, asking about your options.

When I asked Norwegian about the original rejection, I got a statement saying you “had incorrectly filed a claim for a trip delay instead of a trip cancellation claim" and that the credit was “later added” to your account.

To me, that’s somewhere between muddled and false. What actually happened was that you filed a “trip delay” claim to Aon that turned out only to cover your flight back to Atlanta. (That’s what trip delay coverage does, cover unexpected expenses.) Then, you filed a “trip cancellation” claim, also to Aon, but that was never going to work: Trip cancellation coverage lapsed once you got on the plane and yet another kind of coverage, “trip interruption,” kicks in. But filing for that wouldn’t have done you any good: Norwegian’s trip interruption policy does not cover airline delays.

That’s why you ended up — after some blood, sweat and tears, that is — with the 75 percent credit from Norwegian.

It’s confusing, no doubt. You fell into a common trap about trip cancellation, delay and interruption policies — assuming that this coverage will pay for anything that is truly not your fault. But claims adjusters tend to be extremely literal in interpreting the fine-print list of “perils” or “hazards” your policy covers.

“If it’s there, you’re good, and if it’s not there, you’re not good,” said Stan Sandberg, a co-founder of TravelInsurance.com , a site that aggregates policies from different companies, providing convenient direct links to the state-specific policies.

I got curious and decided to compare the fine print of BookSafe with the default travel protection plans at cruise operators like Carnival, Disney, MSC, Princess, Royal Caribbean and Viking. I used the New York versions for consistency, and looked specifically at how well they covered issues caused by delays and cancellations of “common carriers” — airlines, trains and the like.

All the plans have “trip delay,” “trip cancellation” and “trip interruption” coverage administered by insurance companies. Most include a separate “cancel for any reason” credit portion that the cruise lines administer themselves. (Only MSC does not.)

I focused on trip interruption, which typically provides a maximum benefit of 125 or 150 percent of the trip’s value. That means a traveler could in theory be reimbursed for the full cost of the cruise, plus additional expenses incurred because of the interruption.

Three of the seven plans I looked at — Norwegian, Royal Caribbean and Princess — leave airline issues out of trip interruption benefits entirely, making it impossible, in a situation like yours, to claim the value of a missed cruise in its entirety. “That is shocking,” said Jason Schreier, chief executive of the travel division of Aegis General Insurance.

“Ninety-five percent of travel insurance plans you’ll find have common carrier issues in both trip cancellation and interruption benefits,” he said.

The other four cover delays to varying extents. Carnival mentions only weather issues. MSC and Viking cover mechanical problems, weather delays and strikes — pretty standard language, but not all encompassing. Only Disney’s plan allows trip interruption to kick in for “any delay of a common carrier,” as long as it causes you to miss at least half the trip.

Mr. Schreier of Aegis told me that the cruise lines themselves will often scratch common perils from custom plans to reduce liability. When I asked Norwegian about this, the company referred me to Aon Affinity. But Beth Godlin, the president of Aon Affinity Travel Practice, wrote that Aon “works with many different cruise lines” and customizes plans “to meet the needs of the cruise line.”

Finally, there’s that cancel-for-any-reason-for-partial-cruise-credit element. As we learned, Norwegian’s plan, as well as those of Royal Caribbean, Carnival, Princess and Disney, do include flight issues by allowing travelers to cancel right up to the ship’s departure. Only Viking’s is different — ending once you board your first flight. (Again, MSC does not offer this benefit at all.)

I’d warn against choosing a cruise line on the sole basis of whether its protection plan covers common carrier delays — you’d just be asking for something different to go wrong. But Ivy, as you use your credit, I’d consider putting in the time to look into buying a separate insurance plan, using comparison sites like TravelInsurance.com or Squaremouth , or going directly to companies like Aegis , which Mr. Schreier points out has a cruise-specific package and a “Stress Less” feature that might have paid on the spot for a flight on a different airline to get you to Barcelona on time.

Whatever you do, I hope you have a great cruise and can at least temporarily forgive Norwegian for what happened — as a gesture of good will.

If you need advice about a best-laid travel plan that went awry, send an email to [email protected] .

Follow New York Times Travel on Instagram and sign up for our weekly Travel Dispatch newsletter to get expert tips on traveling smarter and inspiration for your next vacation. Dreaming up a future getaway or just armchair traveling? Check out our 52 Places to Go in 2024 .

Seth Kugel is the columnist for “ Tripped Up ,” an advice column that helps readers navigate the often confusing world of travel. More about Seth Kugel

Open Up Your World

Considering a trip, or just some armchair traveling here are some ideas..

52 Places: Why do we travel? For food, culture, adventure, natural beauty? Our 2024 list has all those elements, and more .

Mumbai: Spend 36 hours in this fast-changing Indian city by exploring ancient caves, catching a concert in a former textile mill and feasting on mangoes.

Kyoto: The Japanese city’s dry gardens offer spots for quiet contemplation in an increasingly overtouristed destination.

Iceland: The country markets itself as a destination to see the northern lights. But they can be elusive, as one writer recently found .

Texas: Canoeing the Rio Grande near Big Bend National Park can be magical. But as the river dries, it’s getting harder to find where a boat will actually float .

Norwegian Cruise Line

No Insurance - what will NCL cover?

By NCLAlaska828 , September 9, 2021 in Norwegian Cruise Line

NCLAlaska828

Hello all! I sail in about 2 weeks out of Seattle. I’m following protocol and taking an antigen test 72 hours before and of course the pre-boarding testing.

If we don’t buy any kind of insurance, and our 72 hour test is negative, but then we test positive at the pier, will NCL cover quarantine costs? I noticed their wording is that they’ll cover anything insurance doesn’t. What if we don’t purchase any insurance? Does that mean they foot the entire bill?

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I would NEVER EVER cruise without travel insurance. What if you break a bone onboard and need to be flown off to a hospital for surgery?

This doesn't answer your question. I wouldn't travel right now without COVID19 insurance if there is a chance of testing/quarantine. Any of these companies have tons of legal language to basically let them change any policy at any time for any reason.

Heck even the refund you need to submit a case for its not just automatic.

https://www.ncl.com/ca/en/cruise-faq/if-i-test-positive-covid-19-during-cruise-and-have-quarantine-will-i-receive-full-refund

Per NCL's WEB site....

Guests, and their travel companions assigned to the same stateroom, that cancel a cruise due to receiving a positive COVID-19 test result, dated within 2 weeks of their sail date, will be permitted to apply the full value of all amounts paid to a future cruise credit or, at the guest's discretion, be provided a cash refund. Guests who are denied boarding due to a violation of protocols, for example not testing in advance, will not receive a refund.

All refund requests must be made within six months of the date you cancelled your voyage or the scheduled embarkation date, whichever is earlier. To apply for a refund please go to https://www.ncl.com/case-submission .

Norwegian Cruise Line will assist with applicable expenses related to any mandatory quarantine that are not covered by a guest's travel insurance only if the guest provides proof of a negative COVID-19 PCR or antigen test taken within 72-hours prior to their sail date. Proof of negative COVID-19 PCR or antigen test taken within 72-hours of sail date must show guest name, date of birth and date the test was taken in order to be eligible.

Guests who test positive for COVID-19 and those travelling in the same stateroom, will be denied boarding.

If you are denied boarding due to a positive COVID-19 test at embarkation, the cruise line will coordinate and cover costs for travel arrangements for you, and those traveling in the same stateroom, if they are also denied boarding. Norwegian Cruise Line will assist with applicable expenses related to any mandatory quarantine that are not covered by a guests travel insurance only if the guest provides proof of a negative COVID-19 PCR or antigen test taken within 72-hours prior to their sail date. Proof of negative COVID-19 PCR or antigen test taken within 72-hours of sail date must show guest name, date of birth and date the test was taken in order to be eligible.

The cruise line will not be able to assist with travel arrangements if a guest is denied boarding as a result of a violating the cruise line’s health and safety protocols.

Yes, I think that's exactly what it means. I don't believe they are requiring any type of insurance to be purchased before the cruise.

As far as the the point brought up by @oteixeira ; Cancellation/interruption insurance is different than travel medical insurance. I've purchased travel medical/evacuation several times for trips when I was traveling somewhere my medical insurance didn't cover. Those policies usually end up costing a tiny fraction of what a full comprehensive policy would cover. I never purchase cancellations/interruption due to the significant cost. (I realize someone is going to come back and say "it was only $200 for my last cruise - the cost is based on trip cost. Most of the time I for a low cost insurance like that my trip cost isn't significant enough for me to insure. The significant trips that are costly have a very high insurance cost). I have a trip upcoming in a couple weeks. Full out insurance that would cover cancellation, interruption, quarantines, etc is $1,200-$2,500. No thanks. I can get medical only for like $50.

Sanger, sorry for the confusion, I do everything but cancellation (for any reason) and it is always very reasonable. It seems the cancellation insurance is where you pay the large money. And I have a 16 day haven cruise I paid for, so I think when I say reasonable we are comparing apples to apples. May I ask why you would want cancellation for any reason? You do kind of get that right now with the policies the lines have (as long as you cancel 15 days out).

Thanks everyone. @graphicguy I’ve read that 50 times but the wording of “guest’s insurance” is throwing me off since they aren’t requiring insurance to begin with.

I’ve never bought travel insurance. I know it’s quite risky during the pandemic but from what I read in another thread, the NCL insurance doesn’t cover much either? Just wondering if it’s worth it at all.

46 minutes ago, NCLAlaska828 said: Thanks everyone. @graphicguy I’ve read that 50 times but the wording of “guest’s insurance” is throwing me off since they aren’t requiring insurance to begin with. I’ve never bought travel insurance. I know it’s quite risky during the pandemic but from what I read in another thread, the NCL insurance doesn’t cover much either? Just wondering if it’s worth it at all.

You break a leg (as pointed out in another post), fall down the stairs, trip over a sidewalk crack on an excursion, etc….getting medical attention in a foreign country, or even on board, is not cheap. God forbid you have to be airlifted from the ship for something more serious like a heart attack for example (which could drain your entire life savings), and the insurance will pay for itself over and over again.

COVID exacerbates that.

What NCL is trying to do is to make you feel better about booking with them and not worrying so much about COVID. But, even they know the risks. They aren’t self insuring. They’re selling a policy that’s underwritten by another company.

It’s good that you’re questioning what is covered. And, I agree that it’s somewhat nebulous in NCL’s descriptions. I would want written clarification about what their insurance covers.

12 minutes ago, graphicguy said: God forbid you have to be airlifted from the ship for something more serious like a heart attack for example (which could drain your entire life savings), and the insurance will pay for itself over and over again.

A medevac flight from the ship to land will never cost anything. Per the UNCLOS (United Nations Convention of the Law of the Seas), SAR services are provided by nations, and at no charge. Evacuation insurance will cover a flight from the local country to your home hospital, or perhaps from a land resort to the hospital, but no cruise ship's Captain would allow a private helicopter pilot anywhere near the ship, they are just not trained for evacuations from ships at sea.

BirdTravels

The key words in the NCL policy are “mandatory quarantine”. If it is not mandated by a local authority, but you are not allowed to travel via air or rail, it is unclear what is covered.

Medical insurance and medical evacuation insurance for foreign travel is very inexpensive. We always buy it through AmEx. This is whether we cruise or not. For example for a one month policy for wife and self I paid about $55 for this coverage. My Blue Cross/Shield covers me overseas, but many foreign hospitals, etc. require up front payment.

ChiefMateJRK

3 hours ago, NCLAlaska828 said: Hello all! I sail in about 2 weeks out of Seattle. I’m following protocol and taking an antigen test 72 hours before and of course the pre-boarding testing. If we don’t buy any kind of insurance, and our 72 hour test is negative, but then we test positive at the pier, will NCL cover quarantine costs? I noticed their wording is that they’ll cover anything insurance doesn’t. What if we don’t purchase any insurance? Does that mean they foot the entire bill?

These are great questions. Unfortunately, I don't think any of us would know the real answers until we actually lived it. I bought the NCL essentials because it was only $35 pp and it would seem to be useful in this situation (it starts "day of embarkation, which includes the port test).

2 hours ago, chengkp75 said: A medevac flight from the ship to land will never cost anything. Per the UNCLOS (United Nations Convention of the Law of the Seas), SAR services are provided by nations, and at no charge. Evacuation insurance will cover a flight from the local country to your home hospital, or perhaps from a land resort to the hospital, but no cruise ship's Captain would allow a private helicopter pilot anywhere near the ship, they are just not trained for evacuations from ships at sea.

Didn't know that. Thanks!

2 hours ago, BirdTravels said: you are not allowed to travel via air or rail

That sure sound a lot like "quarantine."

We are driving to the port. If we fail their covid test at the pier, will they refund or give us credit for the cost of the cruise. We do not want to take a test 72 hours in advance

18 minutes ago, ronheg said: We are driving to the port. If we fail their covid test at the pier, will they refund or give us credit for the cost of the cruise. We do not want to take a test 72 hours in advance

No. In order to get a refund or FCC for the cruise itself, you MUST take the test within 72 hours in addition to the pier test.

5 hours ago, NCLAlaska828 said: If we don’t buy any kind of insurance, and our 72 hour test is negative, but then we test positive at the pier, will NCL cover quarantine costs? I noticed their wording is that they’ll cover anything insurance doesn’t. What if we don’t purchase any insurance? Does that mean they foot the entire bill?

I'm not an attorney and I suspect if you fell into this category, attorneys might become involved.

As I read it, if you have insurance, you'll have to file that that claim first and NCL would cover any excess. For instance, many credit cards include some level of insurance, plus whatever you might buy through NCL or a third party. As other have stated better than I could, there are reasons why you might want that. But if you really aren't otherwise covered, it reads to me as though NCL would cover it.

5 hours ago, oteixeira said: Sanger, sorry for the confusion, I do everything but cancellation (for any reason) and it is always very reasonable. It seems the cancellation insurance is where you pay the large money. And I have a 16 day haven cruise I paid for, so I think when I say reasonable we are comparing apples to apples. May I ask why you would want cancellation for any reason? You do kind of get that right now with the policies the lines have (as long as you cancel 15 days out).

Good points. I learned a lot about insurance this year. Still not saying I know even half of it. An independent CFAR policy has to be purchased within a short time period(14-20 days) after you put down your first deposit or payment related to the trip. This includes air fare.

I am debating about covering a trip, I haven’t booked yet. Here are some thoughts.

I guess one reason may be for trips further out, say 2022, we don’t know what the polices might be.

I would think a trip far from your home(say Europe or Asia for US cruisers) might also contribute to reasons to purchase the CFAR.

It also seems the more expensive(in the cruiser’s opinion) and/or longer a trip is, the more reason to insure it.

I was never really concerned that much about this before.

13 minutes ago, milolii said: An independent CFAR policy

What is "CFAR?"

Ah, yes, Cancel For Any Reason.

ClevelandCruisin

Just wear a mask everywhere you go starting 2-3 weeks before your cruise, wash your hands, get a test 72 hours before. This is all you can do.

I'd rather quarentine at home, than in a hotel. So I'll test before and hope for the best. I've had 3 shots though, is that enough, who knows.

1 hour ago, ClevelandCruisin said: Just wear a mask everywhere you go starting 2-3 weeks before your cruise, wash your hands, get a test 72 hours before. This is all you can do. I'd rather quarentine at home, than in a hotel. So I'll test before and hope for the best. I've had 3 shots though, is that enough, who knows.

Yep I’m rapid testing the morning before my flight (3 days before cruise) to see if i should even bother flying to Seattle. Fingers crossed all goes well.

- I think next time I go it will be from NYC and I will get a direct ride from home and avoid as much contact as possible before going on a cruise. I think that will greatly reduce my % of testing positive.

11 minutes ago, NCLAlaska828 said: Yep I’m rapid testing the morning before my flight (3 days before cruise) to see if i should even bother flying to Seattle. Fingers crossed all goes well.

This. Putting aside who would pick up the tab, the prospect of being quarantined in a hotel room for 10 days seems like a special circle of hell.

Goldconnection

For my upcoming cruise my CC stated NCL recommends testing 48 hours before boarding. Has it changed back to 72 hours? We are sailing out of NY.

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Does Travel Insurance Cover Cruise Excursions? [Comparisons and Exclusions]

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Does Travel Insurance Cover Cruise Excursions? [Comparisons and Exclusions]

Best Cruise Excursion Travel Insurance for Scuba Excursions: battleface

Best cruise excursion travel insurance for paragliding excursions: worldtrips, best cruise excursion travel insurance for bungee excursions: tin leg, best cruise excursion travel insurance for covid-19 coverage: aegis, best cruise excursion travel insurance for seniors: seven corners, what is cruise excursion travel insurance, travel insurance often excludes high-risk activities, credit card travel insurance may exclude high-risk excursions, what cruise excursion travel insurance costs, types of cruise excursion travel insurance, what to look for in a cruise excursion travel insurance policy, how to get travel insurance for cruise excursions, final thoughts.

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A cruise can take you to exciting destinations with adventurous shore excursions, but no trip is immune to unexpected interruptions. Cancellations, delays, missed port calls, or illness can all interfere with your plans. But cruise excursion travel insurance can help if you experience any of these unfortunate setbacks.

Cruise excursion travel insurance covers nonrefundable excursion costs and more , offering financial protection if you’re unexpectedly unable to complete your planned activities.

This guide highlights some of your cruise excursion travel insurance options, what you should expect to pay for it, common coverages, and how to choose the best policy.

The 5 Best Cruise Excursion Travel Insurance Plans

You have many options for cruise travel insurance that covers excursions, but you should customize your coverage based on your needs and planned activities .

Consider these cruise excursion travel insurance plans that offer good value for the coverage provided:

The battleface Discovery Plan covers trip cancellation, though you can add trip interruption coverage. There’s also hurricane and weather coverage, including common carrier delays, mandatory evacuations, and uninhabitable accommodations.

It offers up to $100,000 in emergency medical as primary coverage with a $0 deductible and up to $500,000 in medical evacuation and repatriation benefits . These benefits extend to excursions, including snorkeling and diving up to 40 meters deep, but deep-sea diving, skydiving, bungee jumping, and other extreme activities are excluded. For a 35-year-old cruising the Bahamas with plans to snorkel and scuba dive, our quote was $36.54 .

With the WorldTrips Atlas Journey Preferred plan , you can get covered for trip cancellation and interruption, emergency medical treatment, medical evacuation and repatriation, and more.

With an adventure sports upgrade, some covered activities include bungee jumping, cave diving, kitesurfing, paragliding, surfing, and diving up to 10 meters deep . There’s secondary emergency medical coverage of up to $100,000 with preexisting conditions covered if you purchase your policy shortly after booking.

Medical evacuation and repatriation benefits are $1 million , along with coverage for travel and baggage delays and loss of baggage or personal items. There’s also a missed connection benefit. Our quote for a 25-year-old cruising Cozumel with plans to paraglide came to $67 for full coverage .

Your cruise and adventurous excursions are covered by the Tin Leg Adventure travel insurance policy. This policy offers trip cancellation and interruption coverage, up to $100,000 in primary medical coverage, and $1 million in medical evacuation coverage.

Although this isn’t a Cancel for Any Reason policy , you can cancel for medical or work reasons to receive full reimbursement. You’re also covered for travel or baggage delays, missed connections, and loss of baggage or personal items. Limited sports and adventure activities are covered, and we confirmed bungee excursions are included in coverage with this policy. We got a quote for a 40-year-old cruising New Zealand with plans to bungee jump that cost $72 .

If you’re concerned COVID-19 could derail your cruise and excursion plans, it’s a good idea to select a policy with COVID-19 coverage, such as the Aegis Go Ready Choice plan . This travel insurance policy covers trip cancellation and has secondary medical coverage of up to $500,000 with COVID-19 coverage , whether you need to cancel or get medical treatment.

There’s also trip interruption coverage and up to $500,000 in medical evacuation benefits, along with benefits for travel or baggage delay, missed connections, and loss of baggage or personal items. There’s limited coverage for excursions and activities, with extreme sports such as bungee jumping, skydiving, cliff diving, and parasailing excluded from coverage. For a 45-year-old cruising Hawaii, our quote came to $54.22 .

Seniors purchasing cruise excursion travel insurance should expect to pay more than younger cruisers, but quotes and coverage are still reasonable.

The Seven Corners Trip Protection Basic plan offers trip cancellation and interruption coverage with up to $100,000 in secondary medical coverage and $250,000 in medical evacuation benefits.

The policy also covers missed connections, baggage and travel delays, and loss of baggage and personal items. Our quote for a 65-year-old cruising Norway came to $89 .

Cruise excursion travel insurance is travel insurance coverage that includes coverage for activities and tours you’re taking on your cruise . Generally, cruise travel insurance covers trip cancellation and interruption, medical emergencies, and travel support 24/7 , but some activities, such as adventure sports, may not be included. That’s where cruise excursion travel insurance comes in, extending cancellation, interruption, and medical benefits to cover your cruise excursions, too.

Is Cruise Excursion Travel Insurance Worth It?

Katie snorkeling with a Galapagos sea lion

If you’re planning pricey, nonrefundable cruise excursions, it’s generally worth insuring them. You could lose your excursion costs if you cannot get a refund for a canceled, delayed, or missed excursion.

Cruise excursion travel insurance is often worth it for the medical coverage , too. Your regular health insurance may not extend to the location or activities. That means if you’re injured on a cruise excursion, you might not get any help with medical bills — unless you have cruise excursion travel insurance to cover your activities.

It’s a good idea to get travel insurance. Still, remember that some travel insurance policies cover low-risk activities such as hiking or snorkeling but exclude adventure sports such as diving or ziplining.

Specific exclusions depend on the insurance policy, but these are some activities that may be excluded from standard travel insurance policies:

Base jumping
Bungee jumping
Martial arts and combat sports
Motor racing and motorsports
Mountaineering and rock climbing
Off-piste skiing and snowboarding
Paragliding and hang gliding
Scuba diving and deep-sea diving

You may need to upgrade your plan or add on activities coverage if the excursions you’ve planned aren’t covered by your travel insurance policy.

As with basic travel insurance, you may find your credit card travel insurance lacking coverage for adventurous cruise excursions. Generally, credit card travel protections are limited to basic medical expenses, trip cancellation or interruption, lost baggage, and travel accidents .

Credit card travel protections often exclude extreme or adventure sports such as diving or ziplining, though you should read the terms and conditions of the benefit to be clear about what is and isn’t covered.

Consider upgrading your travel insurance to include your cruise excursions if you plan to do risky excursions not covered by your credit card travel protection.

Credit card travel insurance may not cover your cruise excursions, so find out the details of coverage and consider paying for travel insurance if your activities aren’t covered.

Cruise excursion travel insurance costs depend on your coverage, activities, and other factors, but you should generally expect to pay about 5% to 10% of your total trip cost for comprehensive travel insurance that covers cruise excursions.

Factors that influence the cost of your cruise excursion travel insurance policy include:

Destination
Trip duration
Traveler age

What Cruise Excursion Travel Insurance Covers

Cruise excursion travel insurance is generally part of a comprehensive travel insurance policy that includes trip cancellation and interruption, medical emergency, baggage protection, evacuation and repatriation coverage, and more .

Coverage specific to cruise excursions includes:

Excursion Cancellations: You may be reimbursed if your scheduled excursion is canceled by the cruise line or tour operator.
Excursion Delays: You could get compensation for missed time or an alternative activity if your excursion is delayed.
Medical Emergencies: Your policy may cover medical emergencies that arise during the excursion.
Missed Port Calls: If you can’t participate in an excursion because your cruise ship didn’t make the port call, you may be reimbursed.

Getting cruise excursion travel insurance that exclusively covers shore excursions is possible. However, this type of policy isn’t common. Most travelers find it more cost-effective and helpful to choose a comprehensive travel insurance policy that covers general cruise travel and cruise excursions.

As you consider cruise excursion travel insurance policies, you should shop around and get quotes from multiple companies. Consider these factors as you compare your options for cruise excursion travel insurance:

Add-Ons: Optional coverage, such as Cancel for Any Reason coverage, can expand your protection.
Cost: Consider each policy’s overall cost compared to its coverage value.
Coverage for Your Excursions: Read the policy’s terms and exclusions to ensure your specific excursions or activities are included in the coverage. For example, exclusions may include adventure sports, diving, parasailing, and ziplining, though you may have the option to select coverage for these activities.
Coverage Limits and Deductibles: Compare each policy’s coverage limits and deductibles to ensure they align with the cost of your excursions and planned travel.
Exclusions: Understand what’s specifically excluded in the policy by reading the terms and conditions that stipulate situations and circumstances that aren’t covered.
Extensive Coverage: Look for a policy that offers coverage for excursion cancellations, interruptions, delays, missed port calls, medical care, and 24/7 assistance services.
Provider Reputation: Read reviews to learn about the provider’s customer service, claims process, and other insights into what working with the insurance company is like.

To get cruise excursion coverage, you’ll need to do 2 things:

Include the cost of your cruise excursions in your total trip cost when you get travel insurance quotes.
Ensure you select a travel insurance policy that covers cruises and the activities you plan to do , such as adventure sports.

Start by researching and choosing a comprehensive travel insurance policy covering cruises and the specific excursions you’ve planned. Calculate your total trip cost, including all nonrefundable prepaid expenses, such as your cruise fare and excursions. Then, review the policy details, including the terms and conditions, to confirm whether your cruise excursions are covered, specifically looking at exclusions and limitations of the policy.

Once you’ve found a policy that meets your needs, purchase it and retain your documentation, including policy details, coverage, and contact information to get help on your trip if needed.

Cruise excursion travel insurance can be a valuable addition to your cruise plans, protecting you from nonrefundable excursion costs and offering medical coverage for activities. As you shop for travel insurance for cruise excursions, ensure you include the cost of your excursions in quotes and confirm that the policy covers all of your planned activities so your entire cruise is covered onshore and off.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does my health insurance cover me on a cruise.

Cruise health insurance coverage depends on your health insurance provider and where you’re cruising. Before you set sail, check with your health insurance company to confirm your coverage and any limitations. You may be able to add a cruise supplement if your health insurance doesn’t cover cruises.

Are cruises covered under travel insurance?

Yes, cruises are generally covered by comprehensive travel insurance plans. These plans cover your travel to and from the port, the cruise, and beyond, with trip cancellation and interruption coverage, medical emergency coverage, and coverage for lost luggage, evacuations, and more. You should confirm with the insurer that your policy covers missed port calls and other cruise-related incidents. If you want to cover cruise excursions, be sure to include the cost of excursions in your total trip cost and confirm that your planned activities aren’t excluded from coverage.

What is cruise coverage on travel insurance?

Cruise coverage on travel insurance is specific to cruises, such as missed port calls or onboard medical emergencies.

Is travel insurance worth it for a cruise?

Cruise travel insurance is generally worth the cost. Cruise lines tend to be unforgiving with cancellation policies, so trip cancellation coverage can come in handy. And if you experience an illness or accident on your cruise, travel insurance can help you get and pay for the medical care you need. Covering your excursions makes sense, too, if your excursion costs are nonrefundable.

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About Jessica Merritt

A long-time points and miles student, Jessica is the former Personal Finance Managing Editor at U.S. News and World Report and is passionate about helping consumers fund their travels for as little cash as possible.

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Understanding What Travel Insurance Covers

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Travel insurance is intended to cover risks and financial losses associated with traveling.
Coverage can include trip cancellation, baggage protection, medical care, and emergency evacuation.
When filing a claim, be specific and comprehensive in your documentation to ease the process.

Whether it's a trip across the world or a trip across the state, having travel insurance provides major relief if things go awry. Flight delays, lost baggage, illness, injuries, and other unforeseen events can disrupt even the best-laid plans. With a major disruption comes the potential for unanticipated expenses.

Travel insurance and the coverage it offers can help keep you protected and save you money in the long run.

Overview of Travel Insurance Coverage

Travel insurance policies protect travelers from financial losses should something go wrong during their trip. You can customize which coverages you want to include, and there are several to choose from.

"Common types of coverage include trip cancellation, trip interruption, baggage protection, coverage for medical care if you get sick or hurt during your trip, and emergency medical evacuation," says Angela Borden, a travel insurance expert and product strategist for travel insurance company Seven Corners.

Travel insurance plans offer nonrefundable payments and other trip-related expenses. While monetary compensation is a primary benefit, there is another valuable perk of travel insurance. It can provide peace of mind.

What does travel insurance cover?

Your specific travel insurance plan (and its terms and conditions) will determine the minutia and specifics of what is covered. As with most other forms of insurance, a general rule of thumb is the more you spend, the better your coverage.

"Travel insurance can be confusing, so it's best to research a reputable company that specializes in travel insurance and has a long history of successfully helping travelers all over the world," says Borden.

Trip cancellation and interruptions

A travel insurance policy can reimburse you for a prepaid, nonrefundable trip if it is canceled for a covered event, such as a natural disaster or a global pandemic.

Trip interruption insurance covers you if you're already on your trip and you get sick, there's a natural disaster, or something else happens. Make sure to check with your travel insurance providers to discuss any inclusions, coverage, and more.

Travel delays and missed connections

Travel delay insurance coverage provides reimbursement for any expenses you incur when you experience a delay in transit over a minimum time. Reimbursements can include hotels, airfare, food, and other related expenses.

Medical emergencies and evacuations

Typically, US healthcare plans are not accepted in other countries. So travel insurance with medical coverage can be particularly beneficial when you are abroad. Medical coverage can also help with locating doctors and healthcare facilities.

Medical transportation coverage will also pay for emergency evacuation expenses such as airlifts and medically-equipped flights back to the US. Out of pocket, these expenses can easily amount to tens of thousands of dollars. Certain plans may even transport you to a hospital of choice for care.

Travel insurance generally does not include coverage for pre-existing conditions. That said, you can obtain a pre-existing condition waiver, which we will talk about later.

Baggage and personal belongings

Most airlines will reimburse travelers for lost or destroyed baggage, but be prepared for limitations. Travel insurance plans will typically cover stolen items, such as those stolen out of a hotel room. This may not include expensive jewelry, antiques, or heirloom items. Typically, airlines have a few days to recover your bag.

In the meantime, you can make a claim to pay for items like certain toiletries and other items you need to pick up. If your bag is truly lost or you don't get it for an extended period, you can file a true lost baggage claim.

What does credit card travel insurance cover?

A major perk on several travel credit cards is embedded credit card travel insurance . Typically, you will need to use the specific card for the transaction (at least with partial payment) for travel coverage to kick in.

Each card has specific rules on what exactly is covered. But one of the industry leaders is the $550-per-year Chase Sapphire Reserve credit card. Here's a snapshot of what is covered with this specific card:

Baggage delay: up to $100 reimbursed per day for up to five days if a passenger carrier delays your baggage by more than six hours.
Lost and damaged baggage: up to $3,000 per passenger per trip, but only up to $500 per passenger for jewelry and watches and up to $500 per passenger for cameras and other electronic equipment.
Trip delay reimbursement: up to $500 per ticket if you're delayed more than six hours or require an overnight stay.
Trip cancellation and interruption protection: up to $10,000 per person and $20,000 per trip for prepaid, nonrefundable travel expenses.
Medical evacuation benefit: up to $100,000 for necessary emergency evacuation and transportation when on a trip of five to 60 days and traveling more than 100 miles from home.
Travel accident insurance: accidental death or dismemberment coverage of up to $100,000 (up to $1,000,000 for common carrier travel).
Emergency medical and dental benefits: up to $2,500 for medical expenses (subject to a $50 deductible) when on a trip arranged by a travel agency and traveling more than 100 miles from home.
Rental car coverage: primary coverage for damages caused by theft or collision up to $75,000 on rentals of 31 days or fewer

More protections are included with cards with an annual fee, but there are exceptions. The no-annual-fee Chase Freedom Flex , for instance, includes up to $1,500 per person (and up to $6,000 per trip) in trip cancellation and trip interruption coverage.

However, there are some differences between credit card travel coverage and obtaining coverage from a third party.

"Credit card coverage does not typically provide travel medical benefits," Borden says. "For protection if you get sick or hurt while traveling, you'll want a travel insurance plan with medical coverage."

Whether you get your travel insurance in a standalone policy or through a credit card, it's important to review your plan details carefully. In either case, there may be exclusions and other requirements such as deadlines when filing a claim, Borden notes.

What travel insurance coverage do you need to pay more for?

Knowing what travel insurance doesn't cover is as important as knowing what it does cover.

"Travelers should understand that travel insurance benefits come into play only if a covered reason occurs," Borden says. Most standard travel insurance plans won't reimburse you for the following:

Cancel for any reason (CFAR)

Cancel-for-any-reason travel insurance covers a trip cancellation for any reason, not just a covered event. your standard benefits won't kick in unless it's a covered event. For instance, you'll be reimbursed simply for changing your mind about taking a trip.

That said, CFAR travel insurance is not without its downsides. For one, it's more expensive than traditional insurance, and most CFAR policies will only reimburse you for a percentage of your travel expenses. Additionally, CFAR policies aren't available for annual travel insurance .

You can find our guide on the best CFAR travel insurance here.

Foreseen weather events

Sudden storms or unforeseen weather events are typically covered by standard travel insurance plans. There are exceptions to be aware of. For example, an anticipated and named hurricane will not be covered.

Medical tourism

If you're going to travel internationally for a medical procedure or doctor's visit, your travel insurance plan will not cover the procedure itself. Most medical travel plans also won't cover you if something goes wrong with your procedure.

Pre-existing conditions and pregnancy

Those with specific pre-existing conditions, such as someone with diabetes and needing more insulin, will not be covered by most plans. In addition, pregnancy-related expenses will likely not be covered under most plans.

That said, you can obtain a pre-existing condition waiver for stable conditions. In order to obtain a wavier, you will need to purchase travel insurance within a certain time frame from when you booked your trip, usually two to three weeks, depending on your policy.

Extreme sports and activities

Accidents occurring while participating in extreme sports like skydiving and paragliding will typically not be covered under most plans. However, many plans offer the ability to upgrade to a higher-priced version with extended coverage.

Navigating claims and assistance

When a trip goes awry, the first thing you should do is document everything and be as specific as possible with documentation. This will make the claims process easier, as you can substantiate and quantify your financial losses due to the delay.

For example, your flight home has been delayed long enough to be covered under your policy, you'll want to keep any receipts from purchases made while waiting. For instances where your luggage is lost, you will need to file a report with local authorities and document all the items you packed.

Cancellation protection also requires meticulous attention to detail. If you're too sick to fly, you may need to see a doctor to prove your eligibility. If an airline cancels a flight, you'll also need to document any refunds you received as travel insurance isn't going to reimburse you for money you've already gotten back.

Part of the benefit of CFAR insurance is the reduced paperwork necessary to file a claim. You'll still need to document your nonrefundable losses, but you won't have to substantiate why you're canceling a trip.

Choosing the right travel insurance

Each plan should be personalized to meet the insured party's needs. Some travelers prefer to stick to the bare minimum (flight cancellation benefits through the airline). Others want a comprehensive plan with every coverage possible. Before you buy anything, set your destination. Are there any travel restrictions or changes pending? Does your destination country require emergency or other medical coverage?

If the destination airport is known for lost or delayed luggage, travelers should keep important items in carry-ons. Lost or delayed luggage coverage protects insured parties in the event of a significant delay or total loss.

Second, check current credit card travel benefits to avoid redundancies. Savvy travelers don't need to pay for the same coverage twice.

Finally, consider your individual needs. Do you have a chronic medical condition, or do you feel safe with emergency-only medical coverage? Keep in mind, this does not include coverage for cosmetic surgery or other medical tourism. Do you have a budget limit for travel insurance? Asking and answering these important questions will help every traveler find the right product.

Most travel insurance plans are simple, and Business Insider's guide to the best travel insurance companies outlines our top picks. Remember, read your policy and its specifics closely to ensure it includes the items you need coverage for.

No one likes to dwell on how a trip might not go as planned before even leaving. However, at its core, travel insurance provides peace of mind as you go about your trip. While the upfront cost may seem significant, when you compare it to the potential expenses of a canceled flight, emergency evacuation, or a hefty medical bill, it's a small price to pay in the grand scheme of things.

Get Travel Insurance Quotes Online

Protect your trip with the best travel insurance . Compare travel insurance quotes from multiple providers with Squaremouth.

What does travel insurance cover frequently asked questions

Does travel insurance cover trip cancellations due to a pandemic like covid-19.

Coverage for pandemics vary from policy to policy. Some travel insurance companies have specific provisions for pandemic-related cancellations, while others may exclude them entirely.

Are sports injuries covered under travel insurance?

Sports injuries are often covered under travel insurance, but high-risk or adventure sports might require additional coverage or a special policy.

Can travel insurance provide coverage for travel advisories or warnings?

Travel advisories have different effects on your travel insurance depending on your policy. Traveling to a country already under travel advisory may invalidate your coverage, but if you're already traveling when a travel advisory is announced, you may be covered.

How does travel insurance handle emergency medical evacuations?

Travel insurance usually covers the cost of emergency medical evacuations to the nearest suitable medical facility, and sometimes back to your home country, if necessary.

Are lost or stolen passports covered by travel insurance?

Many travel insurance policies provide coverage for the cost of replacing lost or stolen passports during a trip.

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Understanding What Travel Insurance Covers

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Travel Insurance

Cheapest travel insurance of April 2024

Mandy Sleight

Heidi Gollub

“Verified by an expert” means that this article has been thoroughly reviewed and evaluated for accuracy.

Updated 9:52 a.m. UTC April 11, 2024

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WorldTrips is the best cheap travel insurance company of 2024 based on our in-depth analysis of the cheapest travel insurance plans. Its Atlas Journey Preferred and Atlas Journey Premier plans offer affordable travel insurance with high limits for emergency medical and evacuation benefits bundled with good coverage for trip delays, travel inconvenience and missed connections.

Cheapest travel insurance of 2024

Why trust our travel insurance experts

Our team of travel insurance experts analyzes hundreds of insurance products and thousands of data points to help you find the best travel insurance for your next trip. We use a data-driven methodology to determine each rating. Advertisers do not influence our editorial content . You can read more about our methodology below.

1,855 coverage details evaluated.
567 rates reviewed.
5 levels of fact-checking.

Best cheap travel insurance

Top-scoring plans

Average cost, medical limit per person, medical evacuation limit per person, why it’s the best.

WorldTrips tops our rating of the cheapest travel insurance with two plans:

Atlas Journey Preferred is the cheaper travel insurance plan of the two, with $100,000 per person in emergency medical benefits as secondary coverage and an optional upgrade to primary coverage. It’s also our pick for the best travel insurance for cruises .
Atlas Journey Premier costs a little more but gives you $150,000 in travel medical insurance with primary coverage . This is a good option if health insurance for international travel is a priority.

Pros and cons

Atlas Journey Preferred is the cheapest of our 5-star travel insurance plans.
Atlas Journey Premier offers $150,000 in primary medical coverage.
Both plans have top-notch $1 million per person in medical evacuation coverage.
Each plan offers travel inconvenience coverage of $750 per person.
12 optional upgrades, including destination wedding and rental car damage and theft.
No non-medical evacuation coverage.

Cheap travel insurance for cruises

Travel insured.

Top-scoring plan

Travel Insured offers cheap travel insurance for cruises and its Worldwide Trip Protector plan gets 4 stars in our rating of the best cruise travel insurance .

Worldwide Trip Protector offers $1 million in emergency evacuation coverage per person and a rare $150,000 in non-medical evacuation per person. It also has primary coverage for travel medical insurance benefits, which means you won’t have to file medical claims with your health insurance first.
Cheap trip insurance for cruises.
Offers a rare $150,000 for non-medical evacuation.
$500 per person baggage delay benefit only requires a 3-hour delay.
Optional rental car damage benefit up to $50,000.
Missed connection benefit of $500 per person only available for cruises and tours.

Best cheap travel insurance for families

Travelex has the best cheap travel insurance for families because kids age 17 are covered by your policy for free when they’re traveling with you.

Free coverage for children 17 and under on the same policy.
$2,000 travel delay coverage per person ($250 per day) after 5 hours.
Hurricane and weather coverage after a common carrier delay of any amount of time.
Only $50,000 per person emergency medical coverage.
Baggage delay coverage is only $200 and requires a 12-hour delay.

Best cheap travel insurance for seniors

Evacuation limit per person

Nationwide has the best cheap travel insurance for seniors — its Prime plan gets 4 stars in our best senior travel insurance rating. However, Nationwide’s Cruise Choice plan ranks higher in our best cheap travel insurance rating.

Cruise Choice has a $500 per person benefit if a cruise itinerary change causes you to miss a prepaid excursion. It also has a missed connections benefit of $1,500 per person after only a 3-hour delay, for cruises or tours. But note that this coverage is secondary coverage to any compensation provided by a common carrier.
Coverage for cruise itinerary changes, ship-based mechanical breakdowns and covered shipboard service disruptions.
Non-medical evacuation benefit of $25,000 per person.
Baggage loss benefits of $2,500 per person.
Travel medical coverage is secondary.
Trip cancellation benefit for losing your job requires three years of continuous employment.
No “cancel for any reason” (CFAR) upgrade available.
Missed connection coverage of $1,500 per person is only for tours and cruises, after a 3-hour delay.

Best cheap travel insurance for add-on options

AIG offers the best cheap travel insurance for add-on options because the Travel Guard Preferred plan allows you to customize your policy with a host of optional upgrades.

Travel Guard Preferred upgrades include “cancel for any reason” (CFAR) coverage , rental vehicle damage coverage and bundles that offer additional benefits for adventure sports, travel inconvenience, quarantine, pets, security and weddings. There’s also a medical bundle that increases the travel medical benefit to $100,000 and emergency evacuation to $1 million.
Bundle upgrades allow you to customize your affordable travel insurance policy.
Emergency medical and evacuation limits can be doubled with optional upgrade.
Base travel insurance policy has relatively low medical limits.
$300 baggage delay benefit requires a 12-hour delay.
Optional CFAR upgrade only reimburses up to 50% of trip cost.

Best cheap travel insurance for missed connections

TravelSafe has the best cheap travel insurance for missed connections because coverage is not limited to cruises and tours, as it is with many policies.

Best-in-class $2,500 per person in missed connection coverage.
$1 million per person in medical evacuation and $25,000 in non-medical evacuation coverage.
Generous $2,500 per person baggage and personal items loss benefit.
Most expensive of the best cheap travel insurance plans.
No “interruption for any reason” coverage available.
Weak baggage delay coverage of $250 per person after 12 hours.

Cheapest travel insurance comparison

How much does the cheapest travel insurance cost?

The cheapest travel insurance in our rating is $334. This is for a WorldTrips Atlas Journey Preferred travel insurance plan, based on the average of seven quotes for travelers of various ages to international destinations with a range of trip values.

Factors that determine travel insurance cost

There are several factors that determine the cost of travel insurance, including:

Age and number of travelers being insured.
Trip length.
Total trip cost.
The travel insurance plan you choose.
The travel insurance company.
Any add-ons, features or upgraded benefits you include in the travel insurance plan.

Expert tip: “In general, travelers can expect to pay anywhere from 4% to 10% of their total prepaid, non-refundable trip costs,” said Suzanne Morrow, CEO of InsureMyTrip.

Is buying the cheapest travel insurance a good idea?

Choosing cheaper travel insurance without paying attention to what a plan covers and excludes could leave you underinsured for your trip. Comparing travel insurance plans side-by-side can help ensure you get enough coverage to protect yourself financially in an emergency for the best price.

For example, compare these two Travelex travel insurance plans:

Travel Basic is cheaper but it only provides up to $15,000 for emergency medical expense coverage. You’ll also have to pay extra for coverage for children.
Travel Select will cost you a bit more but it covers up to $50,000 in medical expenses and includes coverage for kids aged 17 and younger traveling with you. It also offers upgrades such additional medical coverage, “cancel for any reason” (CFAR) coverage and an adventure sports rider that may be a good fit for your trip.

Reasons to consider paying more for travel insurance

Make sure you understand what you’re giving up if you buy the cheapest travel insurance. Here are a few reasons you may consider paying a little extra for better coverage.

Emergency medical. The best travel medical insurance offers primary coverage for emergency medical benefits. Travel insurance with primary coverage can cost more than secondary coverage but will save you from having to file a claim with your health insurance company before filing a travel insurance claim.
Emergency evacuation. If you’re traveling to a remote location or planning a boat excursion on your trip, look at travel insurance with a high medical evacuation insurance limit. If you are injured while traveling, transportation to the nearest adequate medical facility could cost in the tens to hundreds of thousands. It may make sense to pay more for travel insurance with robust emergency evacuation coverage.
Flexibility. To maximize your trip flexibility, you might consider upgrading your travel insurance to “ cancel for any reason” (CFAR) coverage . This will increase the cost of your travel insurance but allow you to cancel your trip for any reason — not just those listed in your policy. The catch is that you’ll need to cancel at least 48 hours before your trip and will only be reimbursed 50% or 75% of your trip expenses, depending on the plan.
Upgrades. Many travel insurance plans have optional extras like car rental collision and adventure sports (which may otherwise be excluded from coverage). These will cost you extra but may give you the coverage you need.

How to find the cheapest travel insurance

The best way to find the cheapest travel insurance is to determine what you’re looking for in a travel insurance policy and compare plans that meet your needs.

“Travel insurance isn’t one-size-fits-all. Every trip is different, and every traveler has different needs, wants and concerns. This is why comparison is key,” said Morrow.

Consider the following factors when comparing cheap travel insurance plans.

How often you’re traveling. A single-trip policy may be the most cost-effective if you’re only going on a single trip this year. But a multi-trip travel insurance plan may be cheaper if you’re going on multiple international trips throughout the year. Annual travel insurance policies cover you for a whole year as long as each trip doesn’t exceed a certain number of days, usually 30 to 90 days.
Credit card has travel insurance benefits. The best credit cards offer perks and benefits, and many offer travel insurance-specific benefits. The coverage types and benefit limits can vary, and you must put the entire trip cost on the credit card to use the coverage. If your trip costs more than the coverage limit on your card, you can supplement the rest with a cheaper travel insurance plan.
The coverage you need. When looking for the best travel insurance option at the most affordable price, only buy extras and upgrades you really need. A basic plan may only provide up to $500 in baggage insurance, but if you only plan to take $300 worth of clothes and accessories, you don’t need to pay more for higher coverage limits.

Is cheap travel insurance worth it?

Cheap travel insurance can be worth it, as long as you understand the plan limitations and exclusions. Taking the time to read your policy, especially the fine print, well before your trip can ensure there won’t be any surprises about what’s covered once your journey begins.

“If a traveler is looking for coverage for travel delays, cancellations, interruptions, medical and baggage — a comprehensive travel insurance policy will provide the most bang for their buck,” said Morrow. But if you’re on a tight budget and are only worried about emergency medical care and evacuation coverage while traveling abroad, stand-alone options are cheaper.

Before buying travel insurance, you should also consider what your health insurance will cover.

“Most domestic health insurance plans, including Medicare, will not cover medical bills abroad,” said Morrow. Even if you’re staying stateside, you may find value in an affordable travel insurance plan with medical coverage if you have a high-deductible health plan (HDHP).

A cheap travel insurance plan is better than none at all if you end up in a situation that would have covered some or all of your prepaid, nonrefundable trip expenses.

Methodology

Our insurance experts reviewed 1,855 coverage details and 567 rates to determine the best travel insurance . From those top-scoring travel insurance plans, we chose the most affordable for our rating of the cheapest travel insurance.

Insurers could score up to 100 points based on the following factors:

Cost: 40 points. We scored the average cost of each travel insurance policy for a variety of trips and traveler profiles.
Medical expenses: 10 points. We scored travel medical insurance by the coverage amount available. Travel insurance policies with emergency medical expense benefits of $250,000 or more per person were given the highest score of 10 points.
Medical evacuation: 10 points. We scored each plan’s emergency medical evacuation coverage by coverage amount. Travel insurance policies with medical evacuation expense benefits of $500,000 or more per person were given the highest score of 10 points.
Pre-existing medical condition exclusion waiver: 10 points. We gave full points to travel insurance policies that cover pre-existing medical conditions if certain conditions are met.
Missed connection: 10 points. Travel insurance plans with missed connection benefits of $1,000 per person or more received full points.
“Cancel for any reason” upgrade: 5 points. We gave points to travel insurance plans with optional “cancel for any reason” coverage that reimburses up to 75%.
Travel delay required waiting time: 5 points. We gave 5 points to travel insurance policies with travel delay benefits that kick in after a delay of 6 hours or less.
Cancel for work reasons: 5 points. If a travel insurance plan allows you to cancel your trip for work reasons, such as your boss requiring you to stay and work, we gave it 5 points.
Hurricane and severe weather: 5 points. Travel insurance plans that have a required waiting period for hurricane and weather coverage of 12 hours or less received 5 points.

Some travel insurance companies may offer plans with additional benefits or lower prices than the plans that scored the highest, so make sure to compare travel insurance quotes to see your full range of options.

Cheapest travel insurance FAQs

When buying travel insurance, cheapest is not always the best. The most affordable travel insurance plans typically offer fewer coverages with lower policy limits and few or no optional upgrades. Add up your total nonrefundable trip costs and compare travel insurance plans and available features that cover your travel expenses. This strategy can help you find the cheapest travel insurance policy that best protects you from financial loss if an unforeseen circumstance arises.

Get the coverage you need: Best travel insurance of 2024

According to our analysis, WorldTrips , Travel Insured International and Travelex offer the best cheap travel insurance. Policy coverage types and limits can vary by each travel insurance provider, so the best way to get the cheapest travel insurance plan is to compare several policies and companies to find the right fit for your budget.

A good rate for travel insurance depends on your budget and coverage needs. The most comprehensive travel insurance plan is usually not the cheapest. But cheap trip insurance may not have enough coverage or the types of coverage you want. Comparing different levels of coverage and how much they cost can help you find the best cheap insurance for travel.

The average cost of travel insurance is between 5% to 6% of your total travel expenses for one trip, according to our analysis of rates. However, you may find cheaper travel insurance if you opt for a plan with fewer benefits or lower coverage limits. How much you pay for travel insurance will also depend on the number of travelers covered, their ages, the length of the trip and any upgrades you add to your plan.

Travel insurance covers nonrefundable, prepaid trip costs — up to the policy coverage limits — when your trip is interrupted or canceled for a covered reason outlined in your plan documents. Even the cheapest travel insurance policies usually provide coverage for:

Medical emergencies.
Trip delays.
Trip interruption.
Trip cancellation.
Lost, stolen or damaged luggage.

However, if you’re looking to save on travel insurance, you can shop for a policy that only has travel medical insurance and does not include benefits for trip cancellation .

Even when you buy cheap travel insurance, you can often use upgrade options to customize your policy to meet your specific needs.

Some common travel insurance add-ons you may want to consider include:

Rental car damage coverage.
Medical bundle.
Security bundle.
Accidental death and dismemberment coverage.
Adventure sports bundle.
Pet bundle.
Wedding bundle.
“Cancel for work reasons” coverage.
“Interruption for any reason” (IFAR) coverage.
“Cancel for any reason” (CFAR) coverage .

Blueprint is an independent publisher and comparison service, not an investment advisor. The information provided is for educational purposes only and we encourage you to seek personalized advice from qualified professionals regarding specific financial decisions. Past performance is not indicative of future results.

Blueprint has an advertiser disclosure policy . The opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the Blueprint editorial staff alone. Blueprint adheres to strict editorial integrity standards. The information is accurate as of the publish date, but always check the provider’s website for the most current information.

Mandy is an insurance writer who has been creating online content since 2018. Before becoming a full-time freelance writer, Mandy spent 15 years working as an insurance agent. Her work has been published in Bankrate, MoneyGeek, The Insurance Bulletin, U.S. News and more.

Heidi Gollub is the USA TODAY Blueprint managing editor of insurance. She was previously lead editor of insurance at Forbes Advisor and led the insurance team at U.S. News & World Report as assistant managing editor of 360 Reviews. Heidi has an MBA from Emporia State University and is a licensed property and casualty insurance expert.

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Nationwide Cruise Insurance Review

On This Page

Key takeaways

Is Nationwide cruise insurance legit?

Bottom line Main highlights of Nationwide cruise insurance

Nationwide cruise insurance plans & coverage

Cost of nationwide cruise insurance plans, nationwide cruise insurance reviews from customers, is nationwide cruise insurance worth it, faq: nationwide cruise insurance, related topics.

Nationwide Cruise Insurance Review 2024: Is It Worth It?

Nationwide is a well-established travel insurance company with nearly 100 years of experience .
The provider offers three different cruise insurance plans to suit a range of travelers.
All plans include medical insurance and coverage for trip cancellation, interruption, delays, baggage and missed connections .
We found that Nationwide cruise insurance plans cost approximately $11 to $15 per day .
Every Nationwide cruise plan includes a 10-day review period during which you can cancel for free (except in New York or Washington).
Try using our online comparison tool to view multiple plans at once and find the best to suit your travel needs.

A cruise can be an expensive vacation, especially when you factor in the flights and hotels in port. Nationwide cruise insurance plans provide comprehensive coverage so you can get reimbursement for unexpected costs due to trip cancellations, delays or medical situations.

Which of Nationwide’s cruise-specific insurance plans is right for you? How much coverage should you get?

In this guide, we’ll dive into the details and cover:

Nationwide cruise insurance plans and coverage
Add-on coverage options
Average cost of Nationwide cruise insurance
Basic plan includes high levels of protection
Plans designed specifically for cruises
A varied range of available plans
Access to 24/7 travel assistance support team
Only one plan offers cancel for any reason coverage

Yes — Nationwide cruise insurance is a legitimate product. The company has been in business since 1925 and is a reputable insurance provider.

You can choose from multiple cruise policies based on your unique coverage needs. Each one is underwritten by Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company.

In addition to cruise insurance and travel insurance, Nationwide offers a selection of pet, home, auto and farmland policies. The company also provides banking and financial services.

Industry experts have a high level of confidence in Nationwide. The company has an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau; A.M. Best ranks it as A+ Superior in the category of companies with a financial size of $2 billion or greater.

Let’s take a look at the main highlights, features and benefits you can access when you purchase cruise insurance from Nationwide.

Bottom line: Main highlights of Nationwide cruise insurance

Nationwide offers three travel insurance plans designed specifically for cruises. That way, you can choose the one that best suits your travel plans and budget.

Even the base-level plan includes high levels of protection, which isn’t always the case for cruise insurance. Plus, you’ll get access to Nationwide’s 24/7 travel assistance support team if you need help before or after you sail.

When you buy cruise insurance from Nationwide, you can choose from one of three plans.

Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company

Each one covers 100% of the trip cost if you need to cancel for a covered reason , which is a great way to protect your prepaid, nonrefundable deposits. All three plans also include coverage to help you recoup lost costs if your trip is interrupted. You can get reimbursed for 125% of the trip costs for the Universal plan and 150% for the Choice and Luxury plans.

Let’s take a closer look at each of these three options.

Cruise Universal:

This is Nationwide’s most basic cruise plan. It’s a good option for shorter cruises that are relatively close to home. You’ll get $75,000 in secondary medical coverage and $250,000 for medical evacuation coverage — that’s critical, especially if you have an emergency while the cruise ship is at sea. This policy doesn’t include coverage for pre-existing conditions or accidental death and dismemberment. When it comes to delays, the Nationwide Universal cruise insurance plan will give you up to $100 per day up to $500 per person. This coverage can help you pay for hotels, food and other costs.

Cruise Choice:

This midrange cruise insurance plan is a great option for longer cruises. It comes with $100,000 in travel medical insurance and $500,000 for medical evacuation , which is useful if you break a leg on shore excursion in Alaska and need to be airlifted to the nearest hospital. This policy also includes $25,000 for nonmedical evacuation. It can help you get home after a natural disaster, a political situation or a security problem. The Choice plan will cover your pre-existing conditions. However, you must buy the policy within 14 days of your first deposit. The policy also includes $25,000 for accidental death and dismemberment. Dealing with a delay? Cruise Choice gives you $150 per day up to $750 to cover the additional expenses. This higher limit can help you save money if you’re stuck in an expensive city, you need to book a new flight to meet the cruise or you lose out on prepaid accommodation bookings due to the delay.

Cruise Luxury:

When you’re traveling to a far-flung destination or taking a very long cruise, the Luxury plan can help protect your investment. It includes trip delay insurance of $200 per day up to $1,000, so you’re covered if you miss the cruise departure and need to catch up. You can also opt for cancel for any reason (CFAR) coverage for additional peace of mind. The Nationwide Luxury cruise insurance plan is also ideal if you have health concerns. It covers pre-existing conditions as long as you purchase within 14 days of the first cruise payment. Plus, you’ll get $150,000 in medical coverage and $1,000,000 in medical evacuation . If you fall ill on a cruise to the Galapagos or Antarctica, this coverage ensures you’re not stuck with the cost of a medical flight back to the mainland. Like the Choice plan, this plan offers $25,000 for accidental death and dismemberment.

Here’s a comparison of the benefits and per-person coverage limits for each Nationwide cruise insurance plan.

Optional add-ons

If Nationwide’s base policies don’t provide all the coverage you need, it’s possible to buy extra coverage for an additional fee.

Here are two optional add-ons that Nationwide offers with its cruise insurance.

Cancel for any reason (CFAR) coverage

When you purchase the Luxury Cruise plan from Nationwide, you have the option to buy CFAR coverage . If you cancel the trip for a reason that isn’t covered by the original policy, this add-on reimburses you for up to 75% of the cost of your trip. This can come in handy, considering the base policy excludes things like mental or emotional disorders (unless you’re hospitalized). With the CFAR add-on, you’ll be covered if you need to cancel the cruise due to a bout of depression or anxiety

Interruption for any reason (IFAR) coverage

Need to leave your cruise early? The IFAR add-on reimburses you for costs that include lost payments and deposits and airfare to get home (minus any credits from the original ticket). Keep in mind that this coverage has limits — the Universal Cruise Plan will make reimbursements up to $250, the Choice Cruise plan covers up to $500, and the Luxury Cruise Plan reimburses you for up to $1,000. If you need to leave to take care of a work emergency on the second day of a $5,000 cruise, you’ll only be able to recover a small portion of the costs.

Things not covered by Nationwide cruise insurance

Nationwide’s cruise policies come with a list of exclusions, or things that aren’t covered. These situations can vary from policy to policy and even between coverage types — in other words, the exclusions for baggage delay insurance might be different from those for medical insurance.

It’s always important to read the fine print, but for reference, here’s a list of common Nationwide cruise insurance exclusions:

Use of drugs or alcohol
Extreme sports and contact sports, including hang gliding, canyoneering or scuba diving
Underwater activities
Participation in professional athletics as an athlete
Flying or learning to fly a plane
Intentional self-harm, including suicide and suicide attempts
Mental and emotional disorders (unless you’re hospitalized)
Nonemergency medical procedures
Travel against the advice of a doctor
War or invasion
Treatment in a government hospital
Pregnancy or childbirth, unless there are complications

In addition, Nationwide excludes anything not specifically listed as covered in your policy.

Based on our research, we found that Nationwide cruise insurance costs around $11 to $15 per day .

To give you a better idea of how much Nationwide cruise insurance costs, we got quotes for each of the three cruise insurance plans for five popular cruise destinations. We then took the average of each quote.

Average Cost of Nationwide Cruise Insurance

Bear in mind that the cost of cruise insurance depends on several factors, such as your age and the trip cost, so your premium will differ from those listed above. To find out how much you’ll pay for insurance, use our online comparison tool to get a quote .

Methodology for reaching these averages

We applied these details to our quotes:

Total trip cost: $2,000
Trip duration: 7 days
Time of trip: August 2024
State of residence: California
Destinations: Mexico , Bahamas , Dominican Republic , Spain and Italy

Nationwide has an overall rating of 4.01 out of 5 on Squaremouth. We read through hundreds of reviews to help you understand the overall attitudes toward the company’s policies. Bear in mind that these ratings come from all Nationwide travel insurance reviews, so they’re not all cruise-specific.

Here’s what reviewers are saying about Nationwide.

What customers like

Customers who are impressed with Nationwide travel insurance policies often mention:

Helpful customer service
Reasonable prices
Easy to set up a policy

Here are a few comments from positive Nationwide cruise insurance reviews:

“We had to cancel our cruise because of COVID…the claim process was smooth and efficient.” - James

“Nationwide handled our trip interruption extremely well. The service provided by One Call International was thorough, and we were treated well.” - Gary

What customers don’t like

Unhappy Nationwide customers often mention:

Slow response times for claims and customer service
Excessive documentation requirements for claims
Long claim process

Here are a few comments from negative reviews:

“Difficult claim process and no information back.” - Lauren

“They were impossible to reach by phone, and it took approximately 6 to 8 weeks to get a response via email.” - Flash

Yes, it’s definitely worth it to buy Nationwide cruise insurance.

Cruises are expensive, and the company’s comprehensive policies can help protect you financially if you need to cancel or interrupt the trip. With cruise-specific plans for every budget and a few optional add-ons, it’s easy to find a plan that suits your finances and your itinerary.

For basic coverage, the Universal Cruise plan is an affordable insurance option. Consider the Choice Cruise plan for mid-length cruises, and opt for the Luxury Cruise plan if you’re taking an expensive trip that sails to far-flung ports.

If you’re looking for cruise insurance with primary medical coverage or higher coverage limits for baggage and delays, you may want to go for another provider .

Who underwrites Nationwide cruise insurance?

Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company and its affiliated companies underwrite the provider’s cruise policies.

Do Nationwide cruise insurance plans cover COVID?

Nationwide cruise insurance covers COVID-19 , assuming it falls within the other terms of the policy. If you catch COVID-19 on board the ship, for example, your policy covers a doctor’s services, lab tests, hospitalization if necessary and medications. If you get sick before you leave, your trip cancellation insurance should cover lost costs up to the maximum benefit — however, you will likely need documentation from a doctor that says you shouldn’t travel because of the illness.

When should I buy Nationwide insurance for a cruise?

You should buy a Nationwide cruise insurance policy as soon as possible after making your first payment on the cruise. That way, you’ll be covered if something happens to cancel or interrupt your trip. Plus, some plans have time-sensitive benefits. If you have pre-existing medical conditions, you can get coverage under the Choice and Luxury plans — but only if you buy a policy within 14 days after you make the first deposit and opt to cover the whole cost of your trip.

How do I file a claim with Nationwide cruise insurance?

If you need to file a claim with Nationwide, you should always start by calling the Cruise Claims Administrator. They will ask about your issue and send you the correct forms and documentation requirements. At that point, you can submit all paperwork by email or standard mail.

Elizabeth Smith is an experienced travel and finance writer who specializes in topics including credit cards, travel insurance, and personal finance. Travel insurance, in particular, has both professional and personal significance for Smith. She’s traveled to 73 countries, and has extensive experience choosing and using various policies — she understands how valuable the right plan can be in an emergency, and loves to help readers find the perfect fit.

Smith comes to the world of finance from a scientific and technical background. She spent more than 10 years writing about engineering, science, and technology for universities and private companies. When she’s not writing or traveling, Smith can usually be found hiking or Nordic skiing.

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What Travel Insurance for Cruises does and doesn't Cover
Cruise Travel Insurance
Cruise Travel Insurance
What Travel Insurance for Cruises Does and Doesn’t Cover
Everything You Need To Know About CRUISE INSURANCE!
Cruise Insurance

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NCL Cruise #cruiseline #travel
The Cruise Channel's Broadcast For Royal Caribbean, Carnival, And Norwegian Cruise Fans ep2
Cruise Insurance Mistake- You Have Options!
What you need to know about cruise ship insurance
2 Specific "Must-Haves" In Your Cruise Insurance #shorts
Should you purchase cruise insurance? A must watch! Watch to find out !

COMMENTS

BOOKSAFE TRAVEL PROTECTION PLAN
Norwegian Cruise Line will provide guests who are denied due to a non-covered reason with a future cruise credit equal to 75% of the non-refundable cancellation charge to use on your next cruise with us. ... this policy with your existing life, health, home and automobile policies. If you have any questions about your current coverage, call ...
Travel-Protection-Overview[TAP]
Plus the access to a 24-hour hotline offering worldwide travel assistance. BookSafe Travel Protection covers you before, during and after your trip You're covered for trip cancellation, trip interruption and trip delay. BookSafe provides reimbursement for the prepaid, non-refundable, unused portion of your vacation should you need to cancel or ...
PDF BookSafe Travel Protection Plan
Transamerica Casualty Insurance Company Policy Number MZ0911073H0000A Description of Coverage Schedule: NCL (Bahamas) Ltd. d/b/a Norwegian Cruise Line ... Norwegian Cruise Line prior to the ship's departure.-3- ... Cruise Vacation and your coverage is in effect under the plan; and c) for both items 1) and 2) above, require the ...
PDF Essentials
of any kind; the Cruise Vacation has defined departure and return dates specified when the Insured enrolls. Cruise. Vacation means a scheduled trip for which coverage has been elected and the plan payment paid, and all travel arrangements are arranged by Norwegian Cruise Line prior to the Scheduled Departure Date of the trip. Domestic Partner
Should I Buy Norwegian Cruise Travel Insurance?
Norwegian Cruise Travel Insurance is referred to by Norwegian as 'Booksafe Travel Protection', so even Norwegian does not worry about including 'Cruise' in the title of their coverage. Every trip and cruise insurance policy will have basic cancellation protection that should offer a 100% refund for the following types of events:
Should I Buy Norwegian Cruise Travel Insurance?
Norwegian Cruise Travel Insurance is referred to by Norwegian as 'Booksafe Travel Protection', so even Norwegian does not worry about including 'Cruise' in the title of their coverage. Every trip and cruise insurance policy will have basic cancellation protection that should offer a 100% refund for the following types of events:
Travel-Protection-FAQS[TAP]
Get up to $1,500 for lost, stolen or damaged luggage and personal property brought with you on your cruise vacation, and up to $750 if your checked luggage is delayed by a Common Carrier for 24 hours or longer. Note that benefits provided are less any amount paid or payable from any coverage provided by a Common Carrier and/or insurance ...
PDF Travel Protection Frequently Asked Questions for COVID-19
Coverage for expenses related to emergency medical transportation such as air ambulance, nurse escort, and more, as certified by the Treating Physician. 24/7 Emergency Assistance Services provided by CareFree Travel Assistance TM $25,000 $50,000 This plan also provides coverage for situations not related to COVID-19.
What is travel protection? Should I consider purchasing it?
If you have not yet booked your cruise, travel protection information will be available during the booking process. Or, if you have already secured your cruise with us, go to Access Your Reservation to view a copy of your travel protection coverage. If you have already booked your cruise and have not purchased travel protection, it is not too late.
Cruise Travel Insurance: What You Need to Know
Some companies require that you buy cruise insurance within two weeks of making the initial deposit, particularly if you're hoping for pre-existing medical coverage. 🤓 Nerdy Tip. The longer you ...
Cruise travel insurance: What it covers and why you need it
Travel insurance giant Allianz Global Assistance reports that 53% of all cruise-related "billing reasons" for claims are because of illness for the insured person, while 14% are for an injury. Another 8% are for the illness of a family member, 4% for the death of a family member and 4% for the illness of a traveling companion, among other ...
Should I Buy Cruise Insurance? Complete Guide to Coverage
Most companies also offer different levels of plan that have different limits and thus, higher or lower prices. As a general rule of thumb, traditional cruise insurance offered by a third-party will run about 5%-7.5% of your trip cost. So for a $5,000 trip, expect to pay around $250-$375 for coverage.
Norwegian Cruises: Travel Insurance
Travel Insurance. An illness, an accident or an unexpected situation can arise before or during any type of vacation. Such an event might cause you to cut short your cruise or cause your trip to be canceled altogether. ... Cruise Line Coverage Norwegian. Find a Bargain Please choose a vacation type. Call us at 800-338-4962 or inquire about a ...
Cruise Travel Insurance: Is It Worth the Cost?
With this option, the average cost of basic coverage was cheaper than a standalone policy at $111.20. Keep in mind that cruise insurance policies offered by cruise lines typically cover the cruise ...
Essential Guide to Norwegian Cruise Health Insurance: Benefits and
This can involve helicopter or air ambulance services, which can be extremely expensive without insurance coverage. Norwegian Cruise health insurance plans often include emergency medical evacuation as part of their coverage, providing peace of mind and financial protection in case of a medical emergency. ... InsureMyTrip - Norwegian Cruise ...
NCL Essentials Travel Protection Plan
This streamlined option gives you the opportunity to purchase valuable travel arrangement, medical and baggage protection at $25 per person. If you have any questions or would like more information about Essentials Travel Protection Plan, please contact your personal travel consultant at 1-866-234-7350. We are looking forward to welcoming you ...
Why You Should Buy 'Cancel for Any Reason' Insurance for Your Cruise
Last updated. Mar 16, 2020. Most standard single-trip travel insurance policies allow you to cancel or alter your plans when certain unforeseen events happen before your departure. These events ...
What does cruise travel insurance cover?
Cruise insurance is a specific type of travel insurance you can buy to help cover the costs of expenses caused by covered events, such as trip cancellations, delays or medical emergencies. Many ...
NCL Travel Insurance
Trip insurance covers reimbursement if you can't go or have to leave early, plus lost luggage, transportation and so forth. NCL offers trip insurance during the booking process - seems to run about 10% of the cost. But once you decline and go on to book, it's no longer available.
Best Cruise Insurance Plans Of April 2024
Best Cruise Insurance Plans. WorldTrips - Atlas Journey Premier. Nationwide - Cruise Luxury. TravelSafe Insurance - Classic. AIG - Travel Guard Preferred. AXA Assistance USA - Platinum ...
Travel Insurance
TRAVEL INSURANCE. Holidays should be hassle free and worry free. However, given unforeseen events can occur (including losing baggage, needing medical care, delays and cancellations), guests are required to take out adequate and appropriate holiday insurance. Australian customers should make enquiries with their preferred Travel Insurance Provider.
Help! I Missed a Cruise and the Cruise Line's Own Travel Insurance Won
Feb. 1, 2024. Dear Tripped Up, After graduating from college in 2022 and working for a year, I used my bonus and some of my savings to book a nine-day Mediterranean cruise on Norwegian Cruise Line ...
No Insurance
Evacuation insurance will cover a flight from the local country to your home hospital, or perhaps from a land resort to the hospital, but no cruise ship's Captain would allow a private helicopter pilot anywhere near the ship, they are just not trained for evacuations from ships at sea. 1. Rare.
Does Travel Insurance Cover Cruise Excursions? [2024]
Your cruise and adventurous excursions are covered by the Tin Leg Adventure travel insurance policy. This policy offers trip cancellation and interruption coverage, up to $100,000 in primary medical coverage, and $1 million in medical evacuation coverage. Although this isn't a Cancel for Any Reason policy, you can cancel for medical or work ...
Understanding What Travel Insurance Covers
Travel insurance is intended to cover risks and financial losses associated with traveling. Coverage can include trip cancellation, baggage protection, medical care, and emergency evacuation. When ...
Best Cheap Travel Insurance of April 2024
Atlas Journey Preferred is the cheapest of our 5-star travel insurance plans. Atlas Journey Premier offers $150,000 in primary medical coverage. Both plans have top-notch $1 million per person in ...
Nationwide Cruise Insurance Review 2024: Is It Worth It?
All plans include medical insurance and coverage for trip cancellation, interruption, delays, baggage and missed connections. We found that Nationwide cruise insurance plans cost approximately $11 ...

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Norwegian Cruise Travel Insurance - 2024 Review

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Norwegian Cruise Travel Insurance on Check-Out

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Cruise Travel Insurance – Three Critical Benefits

Travel Medical Health Insurance

Norwegian Cruise Cancellation Insurance Protection

NCL Cancellation Protection – Work

Norwegian Cruise Cancellation Protection – Cancel for Any Reason

Norwegian Cruise Insurance Coverage - **Platinum**

Norwegian Cruise Insurance Coverage - **Standard**

Cruise Insurance 101 Travel Insurance Marketplace

AIG Travel Guard Plus Insurance

Travel Medical Evacuation Insurance

Norwegian Medical Evacuation Coverage

Cancel for Work and Cancel for Any Reason

Time-Sensitive Benefits

Regular Benefits

Norwegian Cruise Travel Insurance Review – Conclusion

Cruise Travel Insurance in the USA

Recent AARDY Travel Insurance Customer Reviews

Perfect plan to fit a seniors budget

Kelly Bowen

Very efficient communication

Cruise travel insurance: What it covers and why you need it

What does travel insurance cover when you cruise?

Where to find a cruise travel insurance policy

Third-party insurance companies

Credit cards with travel benefits

Cruise lines

How much does cruise insurance cost?

Should I buy travel insurance for a cruise?

You might not be covered by regular medical insurance while cruising

Getting evacuated for a medical condition is expensive

You can't predict the weather

Costs can mount quickly when things go wrong

The government probably won't bail you out

You may need more assistance than you think

You want to be careful if you have preexisting conditions

Bottom line

Should I Buy Cruise Insurance? Complete Guide to Coverage

What does cruise insurance cover?

What doesn’t cruise insurance cover?

Addendums to coverage

What about insurance sold by cruise lines?

What time period does the insurance cover?

How do I Buy Cruise Insurance?

When should I buy cruise insurance?

How much does it cost?

Should I buy cruise insurance?

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